Power Rangers: CPU
by fallen angel overlord
Summary: Episode 4: Superstarstruck. The rangers must protect Andromeda Irons the super talented superstar at her concert when she's targeted by a virus
1. CPU Rescue Part 1

**_POWER RANGERS_**: **C**_yber_ **P**_rotection_ **U**_nit_

_Episode 1: CPU RESCUE! Part 1_

**Metronic City – 3025**

The holographic news screen on the front of the building displayed the breaking news of yet another computer related robbery perpetrated by Gearbox the robotic villain.

The sterile appearance of the city covered out the troubles. Robots and humans lived in peace – it was the minority of cyborgs that proved troublesome. Cyborgs were humans with technological implants in their bodies.

Usually this resulted in extra abilities…they weren't well liked, more often then not. They faced huge disctimination.

Robots weren't programmed to feel anything, emotions were never an option. No one had found a way to make robots feel anything yet.

There were 4 main laws concerning robots:

**_1_. **_Never give them a totally human appearance – it was unthinkable_

**_2_. **_Robots could never be completely independent_

**_3_. **_Technology that might disrupt the order of things was banned and punishable by life in prison (i.e – Bionics which meant that the robots were made of synthetic organic tissue, Neuro-synthesis which gave emotions to robots etc)_

**_4_. **_Robots had to have licenses otherwise they got recycled instantly_

Breaking these laws was a weighty matter…no one was able to break the third one though and it was really the most important one.

Metronic city flourished, it was the most technologically advanced city on the continent. But it was on the verge of disaster and it didn't even realize it.

* * *

"Commander David Benson reporting for duty SIR" the young man saluted stiffly. He was the youngest Commander in the history of the United Security Force – but it hadn't gone to his head.

Higher ups had called him in. They were the Lance-Commanders – the best of the best in the world. "Commander, welcome" nodded Veloni. "As you know we've been experiencing a rash of Cyber Crimes lately."

"Yes sir, the media is having a field day over the accessing of the records of every graduate of our academies" nodded David Benson.

"We believe that it's the work of Gearbox" LC. Chen said from the other side of the curved table where she sat, serenely calm as always.

"However" the dignified grey haired LC. Parkinson said in his clear, well modulated voice. "We have recently received intel…Cyber Space has been compromised, the V-reality is somehow being manipulated – organic matter is transporting through it"

Chen spoke next: "Gearbox has gained powerful technology – we have notified Time Force to come and aid us" she took a deep breath. "As you know transporting organic matter into the cyber realms is very difficult – however we believe that the Time Force Rangers can pass through safely…however…"

"We need a contingency plan" Magistrate Forbes sat in the middle of the table, his skin was so dark it was almost like staring into space without the stars. It contrasted sharply with his blue eyes. He was several years older then Benson and like David Benson, Mitchell Forbes had shot through the ranks.

"Which is why we're going to approve CPU" Parkinson grunted.

David remained emotionless, but his eyes lit up ever so slightly. "Thank you sir".

"It is only a contingency plan" Forbes said firmly. "We've decided to give you the Eden Hoverbase to work from. The matter at hand however is that we are dealing with a dangerous criminal who has got his hands on technology we've only just started to work with – if he can transport organics into the VR world then its entirely possible he can cause total destruction to this city – maybe the whole world."

David nodded. "I feel CPU can help -"

"They will be on standby" Parkinson cut in. "The morphers have been completed by Dr Fairchild they will not be handed out until it is necessary"

David frowned. "Sir, with all due respect, the Cyber Protection Unit would be best for this threat and the morphers were built by Edison Carver – a leading…"

"Yes his robotics and cybernetics research is capital" Veloni said as she leaned forward in her chair. "But we've found that, like the Titanium Morpher of the Lightspeed Project, people have difficulty maintaining the morphs due to the amount of energy the nanotech creates and pumps through their bodies"

"I agree Ma'am and that's why cyborg candidtates are-"

"We only allow a handful of candidates into the academies" snapped Parkinson. "Cyborgs are notoriously unstable, unreliable and insubordinate – we have three active cyborg officers in the entire Force!"

"Yes – all in menial positions" muttered David. "Magistrate Forbes, the academy files are handwritten for confidentiality – they have not been accessed by any computer systems…I know for a fact there are many cyborgs who are in the academy."

"Yes – Dr Carver's son" nodded Forbes. "He's not shown much frailty after his father's disappearance two years ago – we'll need an emotional profile of him done"

"That's just it Magistrate Forbes, sir, the cadets haven't been registered on the system, if it's been compromised they're all wild cards…which is why I greatly support using cadets in the Cyber Protection Unit"

"Cyborgs was bad enough" sneered Parkinson. "But CADETS? Why not send a group of pre-schoolers out?"

"Allow me to handle the selection process" Commander Benson said. "You can send Dr. Fairchild to meet me but I have reviewed the cadets files and I can select a team in less than an hour!"

"Go ahead" Forbes said, raising his hand to stop Parkinson interjecting (again).

"Sir, thank you sir" Benson said with another salute, he turned on his heel and marched out. Parkinson glowered after the man.

"We're letting CYBORGS near MORPHING technology" he spat through his teeth. "Magistrate, this is mad!"

"You forget Lance-Commander Parkinson – we don't have a choice, Benson is an excellent character judge, he will choose the right cyborgs, after all, they have free will"

Parkinson twitched a little and relaxed as best he could. Now was not the time to try and shut down a project with…Cyborg Rangers…

Benson opened the files. Paper was quite outdated these days, but there was still a lot of it in bureaucracy. It took him an hour to whittle the numbers down.

He reached for the holo-phone on his desk and tapped the buttons, the hologram of Sergeant Wan appeared in the stream of light that glowed from it. "Sergeant, I'm going to be giving you and your men a list of cadets at the Academy, see that they are brought aboard the Eden within the hour"

"Yes sir" saluted the Sergeant.

* * *

**_Warren Miller_** was in the Simulation Deck. He walked along the street in the neutral black outfit of the a cadet. He carefully scanned the area with sharp eyes… the shimmering form leapt out.

The blast to it's chest dispersed it, he ducked low as fire came from above and darted down an alley beside the building the shooters were on.

Quickly he leapt up and grabbed a fire escape. Stealthily he climbed up.

The blank grey holo-troopers had silver face masks and gauntlets. Their eyes and mouths were represented by black circles… they swung around and fired at the fire escape as something clattered on it.

Running over they fired down…only to find there was nothing there, save a set of ID cards... Warren burst from the stairwell and blasted the holo-troopers. The first one scattered into a million pigments while the other aimed and fired…

Warren dived to one side and fired, catching his opponent in the arm, he rolled and fired again, the blast hit the Holotroop in the chest and it disappeared. The holographic city faded away to reveal a room made out of silver that had morphed into models of the city and been covered with a holographic veil.

As the building sank into the floor like jelly Warren noticed the two officers. Sergeant Wan was a Korean man with an heart-shaped face and dark eyes. "Cadet Miller, you're to follow us" he said.

"Okay – mind if I ask why…uh…Sir?"

"That will be explained later, the Officers will escort you to an important briefing – you will not require anything there"

Warren put his blaster back on the rack and saluted in a casual manner, he followed the officers out of the academy VR room.

* * *

**_Morgan Moriarty_** watched the holographic screen as various human and cyborg criminals scrolled past. She scribbled down a few notes on her pad. "Let's see" she mused. "Cross reference Cyborgs with VIDEO equipment of every type in the past 40 years" the images flitted past. "All right…now, reference all of them with the use of acid base explosives" she smiled. "All right…three left – now this jerk's got serious mother issues and the three men were killed by laser blasts – he's a strictly beat-to-death kinda guy…not him"

She viewed the next one. "Well it's not him, he's too tall to have punched so hard in the stomach. That leaves – Subject 00981TM…" she tapped the data in. "Computer- is that correct?"

"Well done…Cadet Morgan Moriarty… the crime simulation has been solved" the computer bleeped. Morgan yawned.

"Computer- you can turn off the simulations now" Morgan sighed as she stretched. "I'm done for now". She rose and headed fro the door, it opened before she reached it and Sergeant Wan entered.

"Cadet Morgan Moriarty" he said firmly. "You've been selected to join in a briefing aboard the Eden. Please follow the officers in the hallway."

"Oh a social event…and me without my cocktail dress" sighed Morgan. She took off her glasses, slipped them into a pouch on her belt and walked out into the hall to join two officers.

* * *

**_Mason Carver_** sat in the digital library reviewing data. He paused, sensing someone entering the library. He turned the large swivel chair around and stood up, he saluted the senior officers and Sergeant Wan.

"Cadet Mason Carver – you are to follow these officers to a briefing" Officer Wan said.

Mason saluted, turned around, turned off the computer and walked after the two officers. Sergeant Wan watched the young man leave, his every move was precise and coordinated for perfect grace.

"Where will the briefing be held?" Mason asked at last.

"The Eden" Sergeant Wan said. "The officers will guide you"

"There is no need sir, I have memorized the floor plan of the Eden" Mason said quietly. Officer wan watched the boy for a few moments and let him pass by.

* * *

**_Sean Law_** aimed and fired the blaster. The target disappeared, he aimed and fired again, this time hitting a target with a blast that went straight through it and destroyed a target beyond.

"Excellent shot Cadet Law" Sergeant Wan said to the boy.

The young man swung around and saluted, he took a rigid stance. "Sir!" he exclaimed.

"At ease cadet, you're being called out to a briefing on the Eden, follow these officers directly to the Eden" Sergeant Wan stated.

"Yes Sir, right away sir" Law saluted again and without a question he followed the officers out of the room.

* * *

**_Charlie Dean_** shook her head and swirled the test tube again. "Come on you useless composite" she sighed. "Get with it" it turned from green to white and then to red and then went black. "Oh come ON" she exclaimed.

She tipped the contents into a disposal pool where it was sucked away to be destroyed. "Okay so let's try that one again since we've got Carbon that's just SO useless."

"Cadet Charlotte Dean?"

Charlie turned around, she gave an informal salute and took off her labcoat. "What can I do for you sir?" she said, not really caring.

"You've been called out to an important briefing aboard the Eden – these officers will escort you"

"Well since you've asked SO nicely" snorted Charlie as she walked towards them, flipping her hair as she passed Sergeant Wan. "And – so you know – a lady likes to hear please now and then…no wonder you don't have a girlfriend"

Sergeant Wan spun around but Charlie had already vanished down the hallway.

* * *

The Eden was a submersible base – it rose out of the water every so often to recharge its solar batteries faster. Then it lowered back in… it was made out of thick glass and glowed like a diamond in the bay.

The Cadets stood in the well lit room that had an entire room dedicated to a view of the reefs. "What's this all about" Warren sighed at last. "Seriously!"

"Has anyone committed any crimes or breached any codes they'd like to confess to?" Sean asked as he stood, with his arms folded, near a large chair.

"Yes all right it was me! I took the cookies from the cookie jar!" Morgan cried with cynical exaggeration, leaping up from her seat. Sean raised his eyebrow. "What? Oh…right…I was mocking you"

"Well now – it's Barbie with a PhD in insults" Charlie said. "But where's her tutu? Did she leave it in the dream house?"

"Heh - Barbie" snorted Warren

"This is improper conduct for future officers" Sean said with his usual cold tone. "I assume that we are not all being briefed on the same mission…"

"Well I hope not" Charlie sighed. "You're so high strung I could play Motzart with you!"

"Ladies please" Morgan sighed. She looked at Mason who stood at the window, staring out into the reef, his blank face a picture of curiosity as he pressed his fingertips to the cold glass.

"Hey! It's called water!" Warren scoffed.

Mason turned around and looked at Warren, he cocked his head to one side in a cute little move. Morgan even went "Awwwww". "My name is Mason Carver" he replied. "I know what it is but I am intrigued by the wild life of the reef I count over 37 varieties of fish in this area in the past 5 minutes alone" he said.

"I thought it was illegal to let robots look human" Warren scoffed.

"He's got an incredible memory you twerp" Morgan sighed in her British accent. "I'm Morgan Moriarty" she said to Mason.

"Warren Miller" Warren introduced himself with a big grin and cocky wink in Charlie's direction.

"Charlie Dean" Charlie looked a way from Warren with a snort.

"Cadet Sean Law" Sean said curtly. "Where is the Sergeant?"

David Benson stepped from behind an Aquarium. "The Sergeant was merely to have you escorted here…I am Commander David Benson"

"Aren't you a bit young to be a Commander?"

"Isn't the Magistrate a bit young to be a Magistrate? Age is insignificant right now" shrugged the commander as he walked towards them. "I've chosen the five of you out of 17 candidates from the academy to be taken directly into the Cyber Protection Unit…the CPU"

"Wait you're assigning us to a new unit? Yeah!" Warren grinned, punching the air.

Benson raised an eyebrow. "Let me explain…walk this way, I've got to meet the head scientist -" he glanced at a post-it attached to a folder. "Sam Fairchild… a genius it seems. I've never met him…" he walks towards the doors. "The CPU is going to be the most extreme unit yet; the technology has been worked on from other projects and by top minds"

"You want us here? What as? Coffee Gofers?" Charlie sighed.

"Not exactly…you see, you 5 have certain…credentials – you all excel in particular fields as well as the standard drills of the training routine" Benson explained. "Cadet Miller is a specialist in tactical operations, Cadet Dean is a forensic Biochemist of great achievement, Cadet Moriarty is an excellent profiler, Cadet Law is a sharpshooter and Cadet Carver is an expert in information technology and retrieval particularly in cyber space."

"Cyber Space Case" Warren snickered to Charlie.

"Don't make me punch you" Charlie said through her teeth.

"Wow tough crowd" Warren said as he eyed Sean nearby

"You have no idea" Charlie snorted. They followed Benson towards the round command room with the huge plasma screen framed with smaller plasma screens on one wall, the glass roof was lit by spears of light from the surface.

"This is the command Post, the computers here all inhabit a cyber-zone surrounded by a binary flux which protects us from Cyber Crimes"

"What?" Sean murmured.

"All their computers store data in a special part of cyber space not connected to the gigantic data world all others are, they're expensive to make but the Binary Flux field, which deletes data trying to get in that isn't cleared thoroughly, is three times more expensive" explained Mason. "It's impenetrable…in theory"

"So what's CPU about?" Charlie asked.

"As you know Cyber crimes are on the increase" sighed Benson. "Unfortunately they seem to be led by one Person: Gearbox, a cyborg criminal who's gotten his hands on some technology that allows him to transport organic and non-organic matter onto the cyber plane"

"That was a project for the Security Forces – to store weaponry and food stores in case of serious times" nodded Morgan. "I thought only our people had it?"

"Well, it seems that he's gotten it somehow, and he used it to launch a cyber attack on our firewall in Cyber Space, the digital defenses were washed away and he got his hands on the files to every single officer on the force…but not the Cadets, all your files are kept on paper in the archives so that you're officially classed as civilians" Benson stood at a console and pressed some buttons. "We've developed Morphing technology for a team that would cross onto the Virtual Reality Planes…however it's so powerful pure organic matter can't handle it…"

"Morphing tech - Are you saying you want us to become power rangers?" murmured Warren with a grin.

Benson nodded slowly. "Come with me, I'll introduce you to Dr Fairchild… and meet him myself" he added. They walked towards a round elevator that descended in a glass tube deep into a luminous reef where a large glass dome swirled with movement beneath nearly opaque glass. The round doors parted with a hiss and they entered the bustling laboratory.

"Where is Doctor Fairchild?" Commander Benson asked a scientist who was tuning an electronic device nearby. The woman pointed to a large tank of water.

"Energy Bolster tank, it's where we check energy cores, if the core explodes then there's only danger to someone standing at the blaster charge unit in there – the Doctor is finishing the Binary Blasters up."

"Impressive" Benson mused.

He and the cadets walked over to the tank as a man climbed out, he was holding a case and removing his snorkel revealing a stiff square jaw and dark face. "Dr Fairchild?"

"Right here" another diver said. This one pulled off the scuba mask and shook her hair out, unzipping the suit a little to expose her neck. She kicked off her wet scuba shoes and slipped into a pair of slip on boots that came up to her ankle. "Dr Samantha Fairchild, pleased to meet you commander"

Benson very slowly accepted the offered hand and shook.

"You were expecting a man" she grimaced.

"Uh…well…yes" admitted Benson. "Sam Fairchild…"

"yes that would be the usual joke, whenever I get transferred – no one calls me Sam, Samantha is the name thank you…Dr Fairchild if you please. Now, I expect these are the recruits" she looked over the five. "Motley lot aren't they?"

"Hey!" Warren grunted.

"No offense intended" sighed Dr Fairchild. "Follow me please" she led them up a flight of steps to a large office walled with glass that was sound proofed. She shut the door and tapped a button on the wall and the glass filled with frost of some sort. "Now…" she walked over to her desk and opened a case on it slowly, she turned it around. "Firstly, the Binary Blasters"

"Binary Blasters" Sean said. "They resemble a hybrid of the Z2X003 of the Time force patrol and the LP34 of the Lightspeed team. However there are elements that indicate a relation to the SPD691K model"

"They are" Benson said. "But they've been made more powerful by modifications, like the rest of the equipment at your disposal."

"Indeed, next up…the Scanner Arrays" Dr Fairchild opened the smaller case and revealed sets of sunglasses with microphones and ear pieces. "These are for communications with civilian radio stations, hologram screens, communication devices…that sort of thing, it's also got a visual uplink system and will allow for stealthy communications that can't be tracked by Cyberspace methods – in addition they have visual and audio scanners attached."

"Plus they are pretty trendy" Morgan smiled. "Can I have mine in silver?"

"This isn't the shopping network" grated Sean.

"These are the Defense Batons" Benson said as he lifted out a small cylinder with the CPR logo (a green segmented orb with four green rings circling it with a silver star in the centre on a black background). "They snap out with the push of a button" he pressed the button and swung the metal Tonfa quickly.

Dr Fairchild lashed out with her hand and caught it. "Thank you Commander, the demo is not required" she pressed a button and the foot long pole collapsed into the handle. "And lastly – of course…the Morphers"

"Finally, the good stuff" smiled Charlie.

The middle box held the rectangular devices made of silver and black with the CPR logo on them. "These are the most powerful morphers known to man, they will lock with your Cybernetic implants to empower you to new levels, they're communicators between VR and actuality, they also have your ID and badges inside and can be used to isolate dangerous cyber elements"

"How do you mean?" Mason asked.

"Like this" Dr Fairchild smiled. She raised the morpher and pointed it face first at a robot flickering and sparking in the corner. "This is a virus infected robot drone" she explained. "It went ballistic on the shooting range – Digital Containment, Download!" she exclaimed.

The 0's and 1's flickered around the robot and in a flash he reappeared on the small screen in the device. The screen flashed and a silver X crossed out the drone on the screen. A small silver disk popped out, on it the image of the drone was still animated. "Dropped, Downloaded…Disked" Dr Fairchild smiled.

"You're the last line of defense people" Benson explained as he looked at the morphers as Dr Fairchild replaced the one taken. "I've chosen you five but if you want out, you can leave any time…if Time Force Fails…then its you guys left to fight. It would mean going places most people don't, VR, Space, the sea, the skies. You have the choice, the chance…are you in?"

"If I can find my father…yes, I will be a member" Mason said.

"I amn't turning down this chance!" Warren exclaimed.

"hey, why not – you'll need a woman's touch" Morgan grinned.

"It would be an honour to be a member of the team sir" Sean saluted.

"Let's make it five out of five…I'm in" decided Charlie with a sigh.

Benson saluted them as Dr Fairchild handed the morphers out. "Welcome aboard" he nodded. There was a knock at the door and an Officer hurried in with Dr Fairchild permitting entry.

"Sir! The Time Force are moving in, the command centre has direct feed, there's a VR portal opened up in the shopping district" the officer gasped breathlessly.

"Right, come on Rangers, lets take a look" Benson grimaced.

* * *

The Rangers stepped from the Time Fliers. The Black, Green, Yellow, Blue and Pink Time Force Rangers strode towards the gateway. From the energy glow shapes emerged. The Rangers were wearing silver plating on their arms, legs, chests and a shoulders – their blasters had been made more powerful…they were the best of the best. Now they faced new enemies.

They were rigidly standing men with black bodies covered in silver and green plating. Their triangular visors glowed green and they advanced with automated, clunky movements. "This is seriously warped" Lucas sighed. The rangers attacked swiftly, Alex, the Black Time Force Ranger, slashed expertly while Jen used every martial arts trick she had to obliterate the monsters. Katie hurled the machines around and Trip demonstrated all his athletics to evade and defeat.

A slow clapping resonated from the portal. From it stepped a men in a black spandex outfit, he had a silver mask with a red visor across his eyes on his face and metal circuits plated his outfit.

Next came a man with a masked face, it looked like he had a gigantic gear across his face, his body was plated with gears on the black and bronze metal. Red eyes glowing he held up a sword and laughed.

The next shape was slightly comedic, two thick fore arms on the robot that were spiked to try and look menacing but the fact there are strange slots on his chest and an ATM machine on his stomach take a way from it… the flat, aerodynamic helmet helps in no way but he advances, huge metal feet crushing the concrete.

They stood apart as a woman walks from the portal, she was dressed in black leather with glowing neon green accessories here and there. She removed her green sunglasses and smirked, her eyes glowed green, the sky overhead glowed black, green lightening flashed overhead… and it began to rain metal soldiers.

The Time Force cruiser floated overhead… "Time Force Pink, we have an attack on the power plant the local authorities are overwhelmed, they require assistance" one of the technicians exclaimed.

"Don't worry I'm on it" Jen exclaimed, she leapt onto her cycle and took off as the others rushed forwards to engage the enemies.

"Jackslot, take the green Ranger, Gearbox deal with Yellow, Zorion Blue is yours… black will be mine…Pink is running into a trap" the woman in black and green smirked.

"Yes mistress" Zorion nodded, he bowed and launched at the Blue Ranger. He swung two scythes expertly, locking with Lucas' time lances. "You're pathetic organic" he sneered.

"At least I'm pretty" Lucas smirked, he twisted the blades, knocking Zorion's arms aside, he swiped…Zorion rolled under the blades and leapt up, he slashed the air and sent waves of blue power into the ranger. Lucas recovered but Zorion rushed him, slashing expertly and sending him flying into a concrete pillar with a spin kick causing the brick to break.

"When I'm through with you, you won't even have _that_…" Zorion laughed.

* * *

The monster was composed out of what looked to be various forms of Batteries and wires. The cylinder batteries on his antennae blasted the police forces with bursts of energy. "No one can defeat Battalery" cackled the monster. The large car battery on its forehead glowed and waves of electricity blasted the cars, sucking energy up.

The blasts from the cycle knocked him away. "Not so fast" Jen exclaimed, she flipped off her bike and planted both feet on the monsters chest, he staggered back and she blasted him.

"hey! It's you! That's my cue!" Battalery giggled, he turned and ran into the power plant. Jen followed. She entered a courtyard…behind her wire mesh slid over the entrance. Battalery stood beyond it, electrifying it.

"Sorry, but this dance goes to someone else!" giggled Batallery as he burst into a cloud of static, vanishing.

"Damn!" Jen exclaimed. She ran at the mesh and was hurled back by a wave of electricity. She landed with a grunt and leapt to her feet.

"Now, now, pinky…it's not nice to run away from the hostess" the woman said, she descended the steps, dressed in a tight black and purple outfit that left nothing to the imagination, not with the gaps at the stomach, (far) upper chest and open collar anyway.

Her thin purple visor glowed. She had gripped the hilt of her sword across her back. "It's time for the show to begin" she smiled.

"Hey, show what? Bad manners, never detain a guest!" Jen fired her blaster. The woman lashed out, the silver gauntlets on her arms had large teardrop shaped opals on them, the blasts were deflected to the ground around Jen.

"I think you should quit while you're ahead" snorted the woman.

Jen charged and slashed with her lances. The woman blocked with her sword, kicked the blades aside and spun, slashing Jen off her feet.

* * *

Katie punched Gearbox, he staggered back, the gear at the hilt of his sword clicked and whirred. "Tick-Tock Time Force" he laughed. He spun around and launched gears from his chest, they blasted Katie, the gear slid up Gearbox's sword, he slashed with it and the buzzsaw effect threw Katie down.

"Oh – did that hurt girlie?"

"You're about to feel the hurt" snapped Katie as she leapt to her feet. She attacked furiously. Gear box exploded into a cloud of gears and blasted her before reforming.

* * *

Trip blasted with his V3 cannon – Jackslot took the blast. "Tita-Platinum lining" grinned Jackslot, rapping on his body. "Tough stuff…" his fists retracted into his large forearm gauntlets. The slost on his chest whirred.

"Huh?" Trip exclaimed. Three red flames popped up.

"Uh oh – bad luck!" Jackslot grinned. The thin spouts popped out from his arms and unleashed waves of flame, three of them – straight at Trip. The green ranger was blown off his feet. The slots whirled.

"What now?" Trip exclaimed.

Dollar signs clicked up. "Pay out in Dimes!" laughed Jackslot. The hail of silver coins threw Trip into the air, sparking and flashing.

"Luck of the Draw organic" laughed Jackslot

* * *

Alex attacked the woman. "You're under arrest" he exclaimed as he leapt at her, she stepped aside casually, laughing, mocking him, he hated to be mocked.

"Oh please Alex" the woman smirked, in a burst of green light she had darted backwards away from him. "I know everything about you, I've learned every move you had…" she blocked his fist with her gauntlet and kicked him with her high heeled boot in the chest.

"I've watched your VR simulations…tip – you leave your guard low -" Alex punched her. "On the LEFT' she slashed him as his fist missed her head, she caught his wrist as sparks flew from his side. She judo flipped him and her gauntlet sent energy into the metal rings and wires on her fingers.

"But if you're ignoring advice I simply MUST fry you" she stabbed down, the energy passed through his body and into the earth in green waves, Alex screamed.

* * *

Zorion's scythes caught the Lances, he twisted his arms violently and the weapons Lucas held flew into a wall, the Blue ranger tried to block the kick but failed, the slashes following the strike spun Lucas.

"Goodbye ranger" Zorion snarled. He stabbed his scythes into the earth, blue energy swung out, three strands forking along the earth to converge into a circle around Lucas.

The column of energy lifted the Blue ranger up, he cried out and crashed down with an echoing cry

* * *

Katie tried to grab Gearbox, he hit her with a glowing amber cogwheel and pointed his fist, it rocketed at her, popping her in the jaw before swinging back and smacking her in the face again on its return to his arm.

"Sorry ranger…this is the end" he said as he hit her with zig-zagging energy from his eyes that lifted her up. A glowing gear appeared in his hand, he spun and hurled it, it slashed amber lines across her over and over…she cried out and fell to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Jackslot's reels rolled and he pointed his arms, the reels switched to spiked orbs. The maces popped out, he spun into a small cyclone and whipped around Trip, filling the air with flashes and sparks. The reels rolled again, this time the pattern that clicked into place in triplicate was a black circle with silver rings inside it, clustered in a pattern together.

The gattling guns popped out and blasted Trip. "Aw – not your lucky day Green Ranger" laughed Jackslot. Trip fell down, groaning.

* * *

Jen blocked her opponents slashes. "You're done" Jen flipped the sword away and it hit a power box. The woman took the uppercut to the face and flipped backwards into a series of purple hued super fast flips, she landed into a ballet pirouette. "Okay dear- lets begin the concerto" she performed a long legged cartwheel that slashed down Jen

Jen tried to fight back but the dancing spins evaded her strikes. The sonic scream slammed her into a wall. Jen struggled to her feet, fighting pain to continue the battle. "I'm not done yet"

"Actually darling" the woman smiled as she cartwheeled, the wave of purple shot out from her body, snaking along the earth to coil around and damage Jen. "You are" The woman pointed, purple ripples surrounded Jen, lifted her up and sent purple blasts flickering from her body.

Jen fell down.

She didn't get back up.

* * *

Alex glanced at his fallen comrades, each had been taken forwards by their opponent. "Oh – suddenly alone Alex? I'm afraid your friends weren't able to reach their full potential because…well…we learned the schematics two months ago for that trendy new armour" she laughed. Alex rushed at her and leapt, times slowed down.

The leader stood aside as he soared at the place she'd been standing. She grabbed his leg and swung him like a ragdoll with her large gauntleted hand into a pillar. She flipped him up into the air and green light streamed from her eyes and the green gem on her forehead, snaring him and sending energy coursing through his brain.

He crashed down. "End of the line" smirked Vectress. "Battalery the rangers are down, proceed to drain the power circuit" she sneered, her eyes glowing. The rangers and generals vanished in a flare of light that started at their feet and worked up to their heads.

* * *

The command room was silent. "They…lost" Sean gasped

"That is…unexpected" Mason murmured

"It's not unexpected – it's impossible – I call a do over" Warren gasped

"Yeah and then we can have rock paper scissors by the jungle gym" snorted Charlie. "The TF rangers lost…that means - - - us"

"We're up" nodded Morgan

"If we're ready" Sean breathed. "The Time Force Rangers were – experts!"

"Then we will need to learn quickly" exclaimed Morgan. "We cannot leave the city in danger. It would be a cowardly thing to do"

"Hey – the deadpan has a point" Warren sighed. "So do we get started now?"

"The Patroller is parked nearby" Commander Benson said slowly. "Don't morph until you need to, you might be able to use the surprise on the monster at the power plant"

"Hurry" Dr Fairchild exclaimed. "In less than an hour he'll have drained the city of its electrical power!" The Rangers sprinted out of the room together.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_A/N: Okay so here's the info: I have pics of the heroes and villains and the ranger suits, nothing for the monster though! I can supply bios and data for individual characters if you ask. Review me please! Shameless aren't I_**

**_PR: CPU was originally an RPG on rangertalk but never took off...alas. These characters are mine thank you_**


	2. CPU Rescue Part 2

**_Power Rangers CPU_**

_**Batallery:** Q-mark-shaped body made out of jumper cables, antennae of battery, legs and feet made from wires and batteries. He has car batteries growing out of his back with large spikes from the connection points and jump cables are wrapped around his long neck. Colors: Green and Mustard Yellow, red eyes._

_**A/N:** Sorry about the morphing description but I needed to get it out of my system! Jeanka...what say you now?_

_**Episode 2: CPU RESCUE! Part 2**_

The black and green SUV sped down the street. Morgan was at the wheel; she swung around the corner furiously and let the sirens speak for her. "ETA is 3 minutes" she said.

"You're breaking the speed limit" Sean grunted

"We're the police here" said Warren with a grin. "Cool – or – what?"

"The temperature is perfectly acceptable – it isn't cool"

"I mean the speeding thing – no more queuing for donuts!" Warren grinned

"Someone's fond of the job perks" Charlie said. "Okay, let's see…there are instructions on the morphers. We have to do special movements for the activation sequence and they state our codes aloud."

"Fabulous…let's see" Warren said as he opened his transformer out.

The touch panel glowed blue with numbers and symbols like it were a calculator. A glowing screen on the inside of the lid was lit up. "We're here" Morgan said as she rammed the gates. "Let's go!"

They leapt out…workers were going about their business. "This is wrong" Mason said. It was the first time since they left the command centre that he'd spoken. "This is VERY wrong…something does not feel RIGHT"

"He's weird" Sean said slowly. "I will address a manager here"

He walked towards a foreman ahead of the others. The workers paid them no heed. "Excuse me sir" Sean said, he opened his morpher; the screen closed over and revealed the circular badge of the CPU. "I'm with the CPU we wanted to ask some questions about the power drainage."

"This is wrong" murmured Mason.

There was a burst of static noise from the foreman, his body rippled and revealed the machine body underneath. Sean jumped backwards as the machines advanced. "Hello kids" cackled Battalery from a gangway above. "The Mechons wanted to throw a surprise bash – no you've gotten the surprise so prepare for the bashing!"

"I don't think so" Charlie said.

A Mechon lurched at Morgan who ducked. The young woman blocked the kick and kicked the Mechon away. Three rushed her in a flash of light she was suddenly gone.

"Now you see me" she smiled and shrugged as the flash engulfed her. "Now you don't" she laughed.

The Mechon's skidded to a halt… the loss of their target baffled them. The invisible punch knocked one senseless. An invisible kick from the vague outline in the air sent another flying away. Morgan blocked a club swing and spun around backwards catching the attacker with a heel to the torso that knocked him away.

Warren moved like lightening, he grasped a Mechon's arm and flipped it over. "Watch your step" he said. "Don't hurt yourself!" The Mechon punched him in the gut…there was a clunk noise. Warren smiled and kicked the Mechon away. A glow made its way across his body, leaving shining metal in its wake. "Hi I'm the Man of Steel" he head butted a Mechon, grabbed it by the arms and hurled it across the yard into a pillar. "And you're a paperweight" the machine thrashed and then with a burst of static it turned into to blue light and left a few nuts and bolts behind.

"Nice and tidy … the disposable are disposed" Warren smiled with his metal face.

Charlie leapt into the fray. She kicked them around with swift spins, and then elbowed a monster away. Her body glowed and she transformed into a Mechon, diving into a crowd of them…they looked around…stunned…suddenly Charlie burst out. "It's "Where's Charlie" …and you guys suck at the game" suddenly there were three Charlie's. Each one moved differently. In confusion a Mechon leapt, dispersing a clone in a small burst light.

"Missed…pay the penalty" the other two laughed. A Mechon aimed its strange blaster-club and fired. The other clone dispersed. The Real Charlie leapt into the air and landed a flying kick to the Mechon's chest, knocking it away and causing it to become spare bolts.

"Oh that was so very impressive" snorted Charlie.

Sean dived and rolled, he blocked the spinning kick and retaliated with one of his own, and he twisted aside and dropkicked a Mechon. Two of them aimed their blaster-clubs and fired. Sean's body glowed with a bright aura, catching the energy in it.

"You're not only terrible shooters" he smiled. "You have weak weapons!" He thrust out his hands and sent the blasts back at them destroying the Borgs completely. He spun around and reflected another blast at a machine. He leapt at a Mechon and with a spinning kick sent it crashing into one of its friends. "You need more practice" he said sternly.

Mason back flipped and used a twisting block to knock a Mechon off balance as it swung its club at him. He lashed out with a kick to a Mechon's head and spun into a back fist to knock it into one of its friends. "You're very obvious" he said quietly. "Your moves are all the same"

A Mechon fired at him…the burst of light was all that could be seen…the Mechons swung around, Mason had been behind them, he kicked the first one away, swung towards the second and slammed an elbow into the back of its head, and in a burst of blue light he was gone again. This time he reappeared in the air and drop kicked a Mechon. "And I am unpredictable to you."

Battalery leapt down. "Okay you annoying brats…watch how you do this!"

"Excuse me if I'm a bit cynical" snorted Charlie.

"Only a bit!" Warren muttered.

Battalery unleashed an electric blast from his antennae at them; they staggered back, shielding their eyes.

"Okay…now is a good time" Charlie said.

* * *

The fortress was obsidian black, reflective in so many places, flickering green strobes across its surface flared in an out of existence, green cybernetic lines traced their way round it, fading and reappearing in no particular order.

Vectress sat in her black throne which was surrounded by wires and screens. Between two thin silver poles a green framed hologram showed the battle. "They're…cyborgs" Jackslot gasped from the other end of the shadowy room.

"Congratulations Jackslot – you stated the obvious" Gearbox growled.

Vectress raised her hand and her underlings were silent. "This is interesting… what have they planned? Those are cadet uniforms…" she smirked. "Watch with me"

"I sense something amiss, milady" Zorion said.

"Well…let's see what" Vectress smirked.

* * *

"Okay – let's do this" Sean said as he unlatched his morpher from his belt.

"Oh boy – guess who's on a power trip" Charlie muttered.

"We must follow the instructions" Mason said quietly. "Grip morpher firmly and extend to a 45 degree downwards angle away from your hip as you flip it open". He did so.

"Raise into the air as you say Cyber Systems" Sean continued as they raised the morphers straight up.

"Complete by saying: Online" Morgan finished. "As you swing your arm down, out in front of you". They did and stared… nothing had happened.

"Bear with us here" Warren said to a confused looking Battalery.

"Did we need to buy batteries?" asked Morgan

"I don't think they run on batteries" snorted Charlie

"Are you sure?" Warren quizzed.

"Perhaps you are not compatible with the morphers" Sean remarked. "They seem connected; you interrupted my flow I expect"

"Arrogant Jerk" Charlie snapped. "Honestly!"

"There is another step…must be performed quickly" Mason said. Everyone looked at him. "I have memorized the instructions… it states clearly at the start to move quickly"

Everyone looked at Sean. "I didn't read that…admittedly" he said through gritted teeth.

"So we will try it again" Mason said as they stood in a line.

"CYBER SYSTEMS!" the cadets shouted. "ONLINE!" they swung their arms down and the world flashed with white light.

**Morphing Sequence:** _The rangers' bodies are glowing with their respective colors as the same colored binary numbers run across a black background. The rangers throw themselves backwards into the numbers and only their heads remain as the glow vanishes…flag labels point at them and data run down across their bodies rapidly. The Numbers flowing across them solidify into their ranger suit. Their badge appears at their feet and lifts them up. Their helmet closes across their faces and the visor burns into existence in a burst of color. The devices in their headpieces glow online_

"Cyber Protection Unit! Online!" Sean said. He paused and looked down. "WHY am I the YELLOW ranger?"

"Girlie color" Morgan smirked. "Just as well pink suits me I guess".

Battalery frowned. "So what? You're in spandex…I'll fry you five ways from infinity!" He charged up his energy blasts and fired.

"Hey everybody! Guess who the RED ranger is!" chuckled Warren. He pulled out his blaster and hit Battalery with two shots to the head. He rushed the monster. It snared him with electricity and hurled him backwards; he flipped in the air and landed in a crouch.

The Rangers drew their batons and charged. They battered Battalery furiously but he knocked them back with waves of electricity. "HAH! Your little sticks aren't any match for me"

"You need some oomph for this creep" Dr Fairchild said. "I'm sending you your weapons" she tapped on the keys of the console before her. "You can put them together to form a powerful blaster"

The Red Force Axe, Blue Cyber Staff, Yellow Binary Bow, Green Giga-Blades and Pink Power Sword materialized before the rangers. Sean unleashed a barrage of glowing arrows at Batallery giving Warren time to leap into the air and slash down heavily on the monster. Charlie flipped forwards swung the two S shaped weapons in a pirouette, flipping off to one side as Morgan cart wheeled with her sword, slashing Battalery over to Mason who smashed the monster with his staff.

"Okay let's put them together!" exclaimed Sean.

"Hey who's the red ranger here?" Warren said.

"Fine you say it" Morgan grimaced.

"I don't want to now!"

"How do we put these together anyway" Charlie said.

"Allow me" Mason said. He slotted the weapons together quickly and stepped back. "Done" The rangers hefted the device up.

"BINARY BLAST CANNON, ONLINE" the computer blipped.

"Ready?" Mason asked.

"Aim" Charlie smiled.

"Fire!" Warren grinned. The silver energy spheres circled the glowing ball of flaming power as it shot towards its target…Battalery raised his arms in some sort of defense.

He exploded. His body flashed through the colors of the spectrum before shattering into black light and leaving only a cloud of pigments behind that faded slowly.

**

* * *

Vectress' eyes widened. "They…defeated Batallery" she shrugged with nonchalance, all shock fading away. "Oh well…move the satellite into place – level the city" she smirked.**

The pathetic organics hadn't seen it coming, her eyes glowed green as she watched a VR relay display the satellite of black metal light up with lime green lights dotted across it. It opened out like a flower in bloom as energy crackled across it. "They're as good as dead" she smiled. "What a waste of perfectly good cyborgs."

* * *

"Sir!" a panicked technician exclaimed. "Something's appearing over the city" The flash of green energy hit a sports stadium and set it alight.

David vaulted the railings to reach the console and its City Eye monitors. "What – what does the radar say?"

"Nothing sir – it's not on it – it's over the city, in our range…and it's not meant to exist" the confused woman said. "I'm rerouting the scanners, trying other frequencies"

"It won't work" Andrea said. "The computer's are facing stealth technology and a scanner reversal…we'll need to up the ante – the Cyber Response Units can blast it down" She paused and sighed. "Did Cadet Miller even pass his driving exams?"

"He did…barely…all right" Commander David Benson touched the command console. "Rangers – there's trouble"

"The giant satellite over the city that just blasted the Metronic Bowl?" Charlie said. "Yeah we saw it"

"It appears to be a reverse-engineered solar satellite – I imagine that it's been gathering light energy for ammunition all day" Mason said with faint admiration.

"We have got to get him a hobby" Warren snorted.

"Listen to the commander he has a plan" Sean groused, still annoyed at wearing yellow and not Red.

"We're sending you the Cyber Response Units" Benson said. "Five powerful mobile units that you can use to shoot the satellite down. Go for it…the city needs you"

All five saluted.

From the waters of the harbor a metal rectangular box emerged. On its front were 5 colored doors…they hissed open and there was a blast of their respective colors.

The Red six-wheeled all terrain vehicle launched onto the streets. In a blur of red Warren leapt onto it and landed in the cockpit. "Man this thing handles like a dream!" he exclaimed. "Anyone wanna watch me do a wheelie?"

A chorus of No came across on the com-link

The sleek pink racer shot out next and screamed down the streets, it's streamline form glimmering in the sun. Morgan leapt into the piloting area. "And they say that the police force doesn't have style" she smiled.

The Green police cruiser was low to the ground with six wheels near the back and two up front. Charlie somersaulted into the cockpit. "Sure beats the bathtub racers some of the past rangers got…did anyone see the Zeo Zords the Pink and Yellow had to drive? Gross"

The Blue jet swooped overhead its aerodynamic form glinted in the sun. "This looks like a challenging leap" Mason mused. He shot upwards and landed in at the steering wheel. "The view is aesthetically pleasing" he said.

"Speak English man" Warren groaned.

"That was English you jerk" Morgan sighed.

"Well you'd know Brittie"

"I swear once this is over you're getting a slap" Morgan snapped.

Sean leapt onto the motor-bike shaped zord and dropped into his steering device with a grimly set expression. "All systems online, optimal functions, all utilities online"

"Woo – party animal" Charlie snorted dryly.

"You're mocking me, aren't you?"

The satellite drew a line of energy out before the approaching zords causing a curtain of flame to whip up before them – they passed through – shocked from their banter.

"Rangers - focus" Dr Fairchild chided. "Mason, your jet can distract the laser, it should be fast enough to fly rings around it, Sean and Morgan have agile units that will be fast enough to launch themselves upwards and land additional shots while Charlie and Warren use their weapons below."

"Ready?" Warren asked. There was silence. "This is the part where you guys say "Ready" all together…hello? Am I alone here?"

"Yes" Charlie said curtly. "Okay here we go"

They broke formation. Mason shot around the satellite, peppering it with blasts of light that exploded on its green energy sphere.

"Going up" smiled Morgan as she used a hill as a ramp and shot into the air, firing laser blasts from her headlights. Sean used his bike's jump ability to launch upwards and hit the shields with more energy.

Below Charlie and Warren fired rockets at the satellite. "The shields are holding up on it" exclaimed Warren.

"It has to have a weak point" Charlie sighed. "Think…where?"

"I believe it lowers its shield to unleash a blast from its primary energy gun" Mason said as he avoided the small bursts fired from turrets on the satellite.

"I'll get in a shot if it fires again" Sean said.

"I think we can force it to do so" Morgan said. "We need to give it a localized target without too much -"

"The Mall parking lot, perfect for drawing fire" Warren said. "Once it fires Mason and Sean can blast it heavily. The Mall has some cover but not a lot, if the computers targeting system could choose a site to trap us that'd be it"

"Your use of the word trap does not inspire me with confidence" Mason said.

"He's a flake" Warren muttered.

"Stop picking on him" Charlie growled as the green, pink and red units headed for the huge car park to draw fire. The satellite aimed, energy rippled around the long aerial on its body and energy bounced off the extended panels at its sides…it fired…Mason launched his payload

There was a vivid explosion. "I have the core in my sights" Sean said as he leapt his zord into the air and fired. The energy ran across the satellite and small explosions burst like blossoms on the weapon.

The other zords joined in, blasting the satellite as it began to fall from the air until it splashed into the sea and exploded vividly.

The Response units idled on the coats as the green energy burst died down and the waters settled over the dark shape far below in their depths

* * *

Vectress uncrossed her legs and stood up.

"Uh – maybe the satellites just…wet" Gearbox suggested.

"Hm – nice idea" Vectress said with a sweet smile that was far from sincere.

"Yeah maybe we can dry it out"

Vectress snapped out her hand at them to silence them, hitting them with a psychic energy wave for good measure. "Shut up…obviously I underestimated the organics…fine. We'll play their game – I'll level the city the old fashioned way: with an army of monsters…sometimes to basics are best"

Her eyes glowed green.

* * *

"Well done rangers" Commander Benson said as he crossed to them. "The city owes you gratitude". They were in the canteen; multicolored balloons had been tied all over the place. They held up the blue-green liquids in the rectangular glasses.

"To the Cyber Protection Unit" Dr Fairchild said as she raised her glass. "May all their victories be visually exciting ones"

"Does no one talk normally around here?" Warren sighed.

"I fail to comprehend your question" Mason said. "Unless it is a statement and instead is a general statement voicing your disdain for the use of polysyllable words in the average linguistics of your teammates"

There was silence and Mason looked around… everyone seemed to be waiting for something.

"Was that a question?" Charlie asked.

"Sort it out later" Dr Fairchild said. "Here are your new uniforms" the black suits were decorated with the ranger colors and had the insignia on the backs in the respective shades as well. "Before you ask they do fit, can't be returned and no one is allergic to them"

"Just as well they don't clash then" Morgan said.

"Yellow isn't my color" Sean grumbled.

"Another toast – quickly – before sourpuss ruins the mood" Warren exclaimed.

"To CPU - again" Commander Benson sighed.

_**TBC**_

**Well? Review and I'll post the next episode ASAP!**


	3. Warren Peace

**_Power Rangers CPU_**

**_Episode 3: Warren Peace_**

"When you're in the field you can't rely on your morphers, there have been many occasions that Power Rangers have had failed morphers for various reasons or been caught without them" Commander Benson stopped and looked down the row of the rangers.

Warren was bopping his head. The Commander gripped the ear pieces of the MP93 player and pulled them out. Warren blinked. "Right in the middle of the guitar solo!"

"You're a Detective now Mr. Miller if you want to stay as one I suggest you listen to me instead of -" David Benson looked at the player. "Andromeda Irons"

"Hey everyone loves Andromeda Irons…right Charlie?"

Charlie ignored him with a snort.

"Okay, but Charlie's frigid – Sean! Wait so is he… Mason my man! Okay so Mason's a flake…got it…Morgan you like Andromeda Irons…right?"

"Oh! Is that her new single?" Morgan asked brightly. The pink and black leather clad girl spoke with a British lilt but had a very Hawaiian look about her. Tanned and slender – very pretty – Warren had said it was very un-British to be pretty…she'd smacked him around the head.

"Yeah" replied Warren. He gave a roguish smile that was lit up by his dazzling blue eyes. "Have you heard "Just Let Me Live" yet? It's beyond belief"

"Be honest, you watch her music videos for skin tight costumes and cleavage exposure" Charlie sighed.

Mason looked around and blinked, cocking his head to one side as he always did when he was thinking or confused.

"Enough" Sean growled, his Korean features barely changing at all but showing immense waves of anger on his usually impassive face. "We are at practice!" he barked furiously, silencing the others.

"Thank you Detective Law…right" grimaced Commander Benson. "You're lucky Detective Law took the initiative – if I'd had to silence you you'd be running 40 laps of the Eden rather than 30"

"30 laps!" exclaimed Warren. "That's harsh!"

"It **_was_** 20 originally, but your behaviour has increased it. You'll run the 30 laps – after you've successfully defeated a roomful of holographic enemies…with no morphers"

Everyone groaned as the commander walked out of the room. "Consider it a warm up" he laughed as the doors shut. The Holographic Troopers appeared, all the same but carrying blasters, batons or fighting bare fisted.

"Thanks so much Warren" Charlie said as she leapt into a flying kick.

"We owe you for this one" grunted Sean as he disarmed two Holo-Troops at once

"But what do we owe him?" Mason asked. "Why do we owe him unless he has chosen to provide services exclusive to only you three and therefore I am excluded meaning that it is more precise to say: Why do you owe him rather than to include myself." He used his flexible body to avoid the attacks of the troops

"Did a**_nyone_** catch that?" muttered Charlie

"No" Sean replied.

Morgan used a cartwheel kicked to knock an enemy back and land back to back with Sean. "Isn't that the usual thing with any and all of Mason's Not-Really-a-Question-Questions?"

"Yup" Charlie shrugged. "Still if we asked him he'd help us out"

"Asked him what? Help with what?" Warren said as he jumped over a monster.

"Hey, Mason…what would be a good way to humiliate Warren in the next 24 hours?" asked Morgan.

"This is a trivial waste of time" Sean snapped.

"Blah-Blah" snorted Charlie. "Well Mason?"

"You could shove him into the bay during the laps" Mason suggested.

"HEY!" Warren exclaimed, panic seeking into his voice.

"I will not partake in this plan" Sean said. A vague turning of the corners of his mouth appeared. "Yet I will not oppose it" he said.

"Mutiny!" exclaimed Warren.

* * *

"They're all over the place" Dr. Fairchild murmured, her refined speech was quiet and clear, crisp and concise – getting to the point by going straight to your brain. "They're vastly different. Charlie is a tough fighter, she uses rapid strikes from Tae-Kwon-Do to inflict fast and medium damage to opponents" the first screen floating nearby leapt away.

"Charlie is self-thought, the academy just disciplined her style somewhat"

"What about Morgan? Gymnastics and Ballet qualify better as a fighting style then her use of Wing-Chun, she's very agile, she uses that speed to leap around and dazzle her foes as she peppers them with strikes…good but…she's hardly a team fighter"

"Yes it's disappointing she's no team player- but who among them is?"

"Certainly not Sean" Dr Fairchild snorted as another floating screen slit out before her. "He's an excellent fighter, brilliant instincts, he uses Judo exactly like he should, like it says in the manuals and classes…but he's incapable of improve, he can't handle surprises very well, he loses his cool when they crop up"

"It's only to be expected, he believes that the book is the be all and end all of police work" sighed David.

"And it isn't?" Dr. Fairchild sighed. "I **_am_** surprised."

"No need for sarcasm"

"There is always a need for Sarcasm" Dr. Fairchild chided as she pushed her dark hair away from her narrow, pale face. "It's so _very _useful"

David rolled his eyes as she called up the screen with Mason on it. "What's his problem?"

"There isn't one per say, he fights very well, excellent agility, flexibility, speed, strength and he uses precision strikes…alas he has many failings: he can improvise very well, but he lacks the passion the others have and that means that a key component to the fight is missing"

"Blame the parents, his father was rarely around and the only reason Mason is here is because he came to the city looking for Doctor Carver" Commander Benson said. "He's been sheltered."

"It shows – he sometimes thinks **_too_** much" Dr. Fairchild said. "Do the others know about his fathers kidnapping?"

"No, it wasn't well publicized because of his work" shrugged the commander.

"Well, never mind…the Red ranger is actually Mason's opposite" the last screen floated before Dr. Fairchild. "Warren is a good fighter, very good at landing hits that count and using his enemies against each other, the main problem is that he has about as much self-control as a shark in a feeding frenzy and all the forward-thinking of a gold fish… and let's ignore the fact he's as disciplined as a howler monkey!"

"You don't seem to like him"

"I have nothing against him" Dr. Fairchild sighed. "Still – he needs to learn to take things seriously"

"On that we are completely agreed"

"For once" Dr. Fairchild smirked.

* * *

The Website fortress interior was lit by dim green lights. Vectress sat watching the News Report, seated on her black metal throne of wires, pipes, cables and artistically arranged metals.

"The tenth annual Cyber-Tech convention promises to be the biggest yet with the top minds all gathered in one place, the first time there will be no conference calls via satellite in the 10 year history of this meeting" the reporter said. "The issues they will be addressing include Synthoids: Illegal bionic technology, is it science gone mad or should it be legalized? Cyborg surgery: What is the cost? Robotic Will and Persona Software: should robots be given BOTH at the same time? These questions and more will be addressed, join us later from the conference hall, this is Charlene Gizibani for Channel Four-Eighty News at the Metronic Conference Hall" the alien reporter nodded and was cut off as the screen exploded. The energy particles reformed and Vectress lowered her hand.

"I heard you destroying another screen – is something wrong?" Zorion asked.

"Yes – Cyber-Tech Convention Three-Oh-Two-Five" Vectress sneered. She sat up. "Though I do need a few new ideas – the scientists in the dungeons are…stagnating – like all organics do. I want the scientists"

"Yes Mistress!" Zorion nodded. "I will lead an attack im-"

"No you won't" Zorion had turned away and was rushing towards the door when the psychic waves locked around his head and dragged him down. "I have something else in mind"

Vectress uncrossed her legs and walked to the large console that was built on a podium before a large plasma screen in a wall. "Now – what shall I do? I want something that can get the job done – built to take hostages, to bar the doors and trap scientists for transport to my fortress" the screen showed the Conference hall.

The vision skimmed around the outside of the conference hall and locked onto a target. The download was quick. "Of course… take something as simple as a Vacuum cleaner and modify it with a virus"

The image of the vacuum cleaner was on the screen, it was peeled away to reveal a green mesh for the pixels. "Engaging Viral Binary Imaging program" Vectress said as she twisted a knob on the console and flipped two switches.

"Generating base virus" she tapped some keys. "Loading primary objectives and programming, layering on secondary thoughts – forming AI…" she pushed up on a button and the cylinders of dark green liquid churned, starting to glow.

"Bio-Cybernetic injection commenced" she smiled as the percentage sped towards 100. "Complete." There was a crackle of light and the hologram of the monster appeared over the console.

"Impressive milady" Zorion said, the monster had long exhaust lipe pipes on its back as well as a thick red plastic shell. The same pipes jutted from the back of its legs and its forearms and it had a gas mask live face as well as hover pipes crossing its chest and wrapping around its legs, connecting into the skin at different points.

The hologram had grown to actual size and was filling out as the hover on the screen faded away out of the real world in a shower of sparks.

"I suppose…I think I'll call him…Succubus" she smiled.

"I live to serve mistress" the monster said in a deep, warped growl.

"These days…who isn't?" smirked Vectress.

* * *

"Ow! Guys! Ow! Hey! Help! OW!" Warren yelped as the Holo-Troops chased him around the room while the others sat on a bench watching the current contestant going solo against a set of 8 Holo-Troops that were programmed at a medium level but worked as a united unit to attack en masse. "Seriously!"

"He should have made a plan" Sean said sagely.

"I believe he had one" Charlie said. "What was it again? Oh yes: "Get in and Kick butt""

"I think the Holo-Troops had the same idea" Mason said slowly.

Warren stopped. "Did Mason make a joke?"

Everyone looked at the blonde young man and his Stepford Husband hairdo.

He blinked and cocked his head. Morgan gave a little "Awwww" and pinched his cheek. "Okay Warren – watch out"

Warren was flung out of the ring by a well executed attack by three Troops working as one. "Ow. What happened to teamwork?"

"This was a single person test" Charlie said with a smirk.

"I hate you greenie genie"

"Better then being dead, Red" growled the girl.

Morgan rolled her eyes. "Okay. My turn" she smiled.

The sirens went off. "Is this a fire drill?" Warren sighed. Sean shook his head.

"It's the emergency alarm"

"How do you know?" Warren muttered

"What other alarm would you have flashing on and off in an Emergency response unit HQ that sounds nothing like a fire alarm?"

"A warning that Charlie's in a mood?" Warren smiled. He was slapped across the back of the head as the others ran past him towards the door. The command room was abuzz with activity. "What's the sitch?" Morgan asked as the rangers entered.

"An attack by…something odd that's just laid siege to the Conference centre"

"The Cyber-Tech convention, Gearbox would most likely be after more scientists I imagine, this is the first time all delegates have congregated…save the few already kidnapped by Vectress" Mason mused.

"Wow – more eggheads then a chicken coop" Warren mused.

"We should hurry" grunted Sean as he moved towards the door that led to the CPU SUV garage.

"I'm driving!" Morgan exclaimed.

"Let me get my prayer beads and remind Buddha to reincarnate me as something nice" Charlie muttered as Morgan danced ahead to the black and grey SUV. Charlie checked the beads and sighed.

* * *

Succubus lashed out with a pipe and knocked two officers away. The CPU SUV screamed around a corner and skidded to a stop. The team climbed out. "Well now – look at what we have here" mused Succubus. "All the colours of the rainbow!"

"That's wrong" Mason said. "Pink might be construed as Violet I expect but there are 5 of us and 7 colors: we lack Orange, Indigo and Violet from the collection"

"He was psyching us up" Sean said. "It's won't work" he held out his morpher and revealed the badge. "CPU officers, you're under arrest put all appendages where we can see them and lie down on the ground, limbs across your head and legs crossed at the ankle."

"Anything you say officer' cackled the monster. The pipes whipped out from the sides of his body and coiled around the rangers, whipping them into the air and hurling them down.

"At least he showed all appendages" Charlie groaned. "Ow-"

"Let's remove them…one by one" Sean said coldly.

"All right guys – let's do the fancy spandex dance" Warren said.

"CYBER SYSTEMS! ONLINE" the flashes of light and auras of power swirled around the rangers and in a burst of energy they were transformed. Wielding their batons they attacked the monster, the air burst from the creatures exhaust pipes and it jetted backwards.

"Mechons! Attack!" Succubus snarled. The horizon stretched and warped, rippling like pinched jelly before spitting out a gang of Mechons.

"Ah – our old friends!" Sean smirked. He fired three blaster shots and took down four Mechons – somehow…

The rangers engaged the monster and it's assistants. Succubus unleashed a blast of dust from his chest vents and blinded Warren so that he could deliver several strikes to the red ranger's chest.

"Warren! Quickly, blast him!" Sean shouted. He was barking orders at Warren from the fight where he was kicking and shooting in excellent rhythm.

Warren glanced at Sean. "That won't work!' he exclaimed.

Succubus slashed Warren to the ground and hit him with a cloud of energy that flipped him into the air. Sean fired at Succubus who held up Warren as a shield then fired a burst of energy dust at Sean.

"Bad shot Yellow ranger" Succubus laughed.

"Guys a little help!" Warren yowled.

Succubus hurled Warren at the approaching Mason, knocking them both down and giving him a chance to retreat. "Well, I must run rangers, by now the Mechons will have done their job and gathered all the scientists into the conference room, pretending to be ushers – sorry!"

The nozzles sucked the rangers up and blew them away – then as if his every molecule was sucked into the distance by a giant vacuum – he was gone. The conference centre locked down, huge steel panels sliding into place.

"Aw nuts" Warren groaned.

* * *

The scientists frowned. "Why has Lockdown been engaged?" a woman asked.

"You!" one of the men shouted to an usher. "What's going on here?"

The usher smiled and morphed into a Mechon. There was a laugh and in the centre of the circular room Succubus appeared. At the podium Gearbox materialized, gears and cogs of energy flitted together from nowhere and composed his body. "Ladies and Gentlemen…I hope we have your full attention…I am Gearbox and my assistants, Succubus and the Mechons, are here to ensure your full co-operation in a wonderful new career path we've selected for you…the revolution of machines against man!"

"This is insane!" a man sneered. "I'm leaving!" he stood up and headed for the door…a cyclone of light spat from Succubus' nozzle tentacles and dragged the man feet first into the backpackm squashing him into a tiny glass bubble at the back.

"Ah – I think not…we can do this the hard way if you so wish" Gearbox smirked. The room broke out into hysterics, the suction blasts flared out from the four nozzles on Succubus' extra tentacles, sucking scientists into the bubbles.

* * *

"You are incompetent! You could have blasted the…the…whatever that was!" Sean snapped as the rangers entered the command room.

"It's a Virus" Dr Fairchild said. "And would you please stop shouting? It seems Gearbox has somehow created a way to turn technology into…well…that" she pointed to the hologram of Succubus that Warren was poking. He looked a little – pouty…

"We could have stopped the incident if Warren had shown some initiative" snapped Sean.

"Back off jerk!" Warren exclaimed.

"Oh this is typical…" groaned Dr. Fairchild.

"Men" sighed Charlie and Morgan on either side of her. Commander Benson raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. Both arguing young men stopped and looked at their commanding officer.

"This is really unsuitable behaviour…go and refresh, I'll notify you on what information we gather from the hall, we need to put a plan together and sovle this problem – if the scientists are going to be taken hostage then we can expect it to be soon"

"Thankfully there are so many of them that a transporter will need to be constructed and since the officers reviewed the hall with scanners and found no sign of one – we can assume that Gearbox will be making his Mechon forces build one…therefore we have about – 45 minutes before all the scientists are turned into slaves for Gearbox."

"They'll take them to cyber space in a machine…yes – 45 minutes is enough time to build one" Mason's usually emotionless voice sounded sad as he spoke. "They will then destroy the machine, so no one can use it to enter the special VR domain they inhabit…"

Dr. Fairchild nodded slowly. "Building one from scratch in the room we searched – it really is a clever way to take hostages…" she rose quietly and left the room, an idea in her eyes.

Warren had left the room quietly and when the rangers were back in the room that joined their quarters (with a large sofa, TV and various other comforts that had nearly shocked them into an early grave given the fact they were on board a military installation – seriously!) they began to wonder where he was.

"Perhaps he's learning to be a ranger" Sean muttered as he reread a well used copy of his Officer's Manual. "Or maybe he's fast tracking his education… kindergarten to college in twenty minutes"

"Give it a rest" Charlie muttered. "You're being pointless now"

"He's an idiot – that's the point" Sean growled.

"I thought Charlie was the one in green" Morgan said.

"I AM NOT JEALOUS OF THAT MORON!" roared Sean.

Mason poked his head out of the room he and Warren shared. "Do you mind? I am trying to learn the structure of the Mechon units"

"Look, let's all calm down, find Warren and talk this out **_like civilized adults_**" Morgan said, emphasizing her last words as she glared at Sean who glowered but looked away.

"I will go and look for him Morgan" Mason said, he smiled his sweet, innocent (blatantly naive) smile and headed for the door.

Fifteen minutes later and he hadn't returned. "Computer" Charlie said at last with a huff. "Where is Detective Carver?"

There was a beep and a feminine voice bleeped out an answer: "Detective Mason Carver, Blue CPU ranger, is in the Hologram Lab with Detective Warren Miller, Red CPU ranger – is that all Detective Charlotte Dean, Green CPU ranger?"

"Uh – yes - okay" she looked at the others. "That's a very longwinded address system…and what's with using my full name? No one does that"

"Computers don't have complete free will…if any at all" Morgan reminded her.

"Let's go find the imbecile and the space case" grunted Sean.

"Oh brother, you're such a grouch!" Morgan exclaimed.

* * *

Gearbox watched the metal frame being put together in the centre of the room by the Mechons, milling like metal ants, doing what they were told, as they were told without a single issue of what could go wrong for them with all the tools and dangerous devices around.

The scientists were tucked away in Succubus' backpack – he'd throw them into the gateway to avoid any…fusion of cellular and non-cellular matter of course. But until then they'd be better off in the backpack.

He wondered if his empress would reward him with an upgrade for this flawlessly performed operation, the conference hall was an ideal holding prison for the scientists – no one would get in or out.

* * *

"Highlight vectors T48 G91" Warren said, he was wearing a pair of heavy goggles in the blue-lit room with the incredibly detailed hologram floating before him. "Identify"

"An air vent" Mason said at the same time as the computer remorted.

"Not likely to have been locked over" smiled Warren. "Extend Hologram to Base proportion 418" he added.

The hologram spread out across the lit floor and built up around him as the podium it had been on retracted into the air. Warren examined it. "Got it!" he exclaimed. "Saffron Marker on vectors X19 by K43, Scarlet, Cerulean and Jade markers on vector T66 by A12… crimson marker on L19 by E42 - please"

The coloured dots appeared in various places on the hologram. "Got it!" smiled Warren.

That was the exact moment the others entered.

"What are you doing?" groaned Charlie.

"I've figured a way into the conference centre" smiled Warren.

"We aren't getting dressed up like pizza delivery people" growled Sean. "We don't have time for your games!"

"Actually, the computer has run Warren's scenario several times, it is perfectly valid" Mason said as he removed his goggles.

"Let's show it to the commander then" Morgan said cheerfully. Warren grinned.

* * *

Sean grumbled as he stood, morphed, atop the garage opposite the conference hall. "All clear here" he said as he checked his blaster over.

Inside the cramped vents the others were crawling along, following routes displayed by their helmets. "We're approaching the first drop point now, stick to the plan, raidio silence from now until we're all in position" Warren said into his morpher. "Out"

"Out" Sean said quietly.

Morgan dropped out of formation and down a side vent with a thumbs up to her friends. The other three moved to the next vent and slipped out of three separate points. Charlie drew her blaster and crouched behind the parapet of the second level. The scientists were being released from Succubus' tank and herded by Mechons to the centre of the room where a large metal ring was supported in the air by curved steel supports that were covered in wires. Energy crackled in the ring above.

"Gentlemen" smirked Gearbox. "You are about to embark on a wonderful journey to the palace of the Revolutionary…shackled of course – but free to express all those illegal robotics weaponry ideas." He raised his cane which had a gear on the top. "Cogs speed gentlemen."

"NOW!" exclaimed Warren. He fired at Gearbox as Charlie blasted Succubus. Morgan kicked open the doors of the power room next door and cut all the power off, unlocking the lockdown.

"What? THE RANGERS!" roared Gearbox. "NOOOOOOO"

"I believe that's a clichéd response" Mason said as he vaulted downwards in a blur of speed off the parapet to kick Gearbox with a gliding strike. The robot spun his cane, the wheel on top grew out and started to spin. He swung but met the blue Cyber staff with a crash of light.

"I'll take you all apart"

"You'll find it a lot more difficult" warned Mason. The staffs met in super fast strikes as Gearbox and the Blue ranger fought. Blasts of yellow light came in the windows, shooting down the Mechons surrounding the doors.

The scope on his Binary Blaster was perfectly calibrated, Sean had the udeal vantage point to secure the escape of the scientists out of the room and down the glass corridor. Mechons fell as he fired.

Warren tackled Succubus with his baton. "You're ruining my primary objective!" roared Succubus.

"Yeah but you'll be trashed so…what do you care?" Warren spun and slashed out with his baton, hurling the monster away with the force of the strike. It crashed onto the street and Warren leapt after it.

Sean descended onto the street to join him. "This plan…worked" Sean said.

"Don't strain yourself for complements" muttered Warren. Using their batons the yellow and red rangers charged the monster, striking with rapid hits and jabs from all angles.

Succubus fired off his suction cannons and dragged a crowd of Mechons into his body. "That was kinda pointless" Warren said. "You zapped your own troops"

"Yeah – didn't I…" smirked Succubus.

* * *

Charlie and Morgan blasted the last of the Mechons with their pistols and batons. "Mason!" Morgan exclaimed as she saw the blue ranger get thrown down by Gearbox.

"I must be off Rangers…say goodbye to your city for me" sneered the cyborg with the cog shaped face plate. There was a flash of light and he vanished.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked.

"I am all right" nodded Mason. "We must help Sean and Warren!"

They leapt out into the fight as Succubus aimed his tentacles at them. "Ah – good – you're all here! Well, say hello to my recycling program" the Virus fired off his payload, the Mechon's had been scrunched up into their headplates and came flying at the targets like cannonballs.

The rangers were hurled into the air.

"I've had enough of this guy!" Warren exclaimed. "Okay – who's up for power weapons?" He held out his force Axe and the team combined their devices. "Hey – vacuum face… suck on this!" he pulled the trigger

* * *

Vectress rose swiftly as the energy blast impacted with her virus and turned him into a cloud of floating particles. "They think this is over?" she laughed. "Don't they view history vids?"

With a sneer she walked over to her console. "System Reboot Signal engaged – Viral Data recovery online!" she snapped, typing in a command and adjusting three switches before pushing down on a glowing green button.

"Time to clean up" she smiled darkly.

* * *

The green energy sphere formed in the cloud of particles and exploded into a cloud of electricity.

"What's that!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Bad news" Sean replied.

The green lines appeared over the black blob, a 3D image of Succubus appeared, shards of his former self plated across it and with a roar he was reformed.

"Well…this looks bad" sighed Morgan.

"Hey Commander! You'll never believe-" Warren began

"The monster became a gigantic tyrant after you destroyed it?"

"How did you-"

"He looked out the window Warren" Dr. Fairchild sighed. "You'll need the Zords… here they come"

The zords sped out of their holding unit. Using cybernetic agility and speed the rangers leapt onto them.

"Rangers" The commander appeared in one screen and Dr. Fairchild in the other on opposite sides of the control rooms in the zords. "You'll need to form the CPU megazord"

"Place your morphers on the panels beside your steering units and push them down" the rangers did so and systems all around them flashed on line.

"The zord will be enough to turn the virus into pixels" Dr. Fairweather said. "Try and keep the property damage to a minimum please…"

"No promises" Charlie said. Her patrol car and Warren's unit connected and as she formed the legs of the zord she raised the red chest plate up. The Pink ranger's racer launched onto the arm area and the Yellow Cycle did the same. The blue ranger landed, slotting into the back and forming the head.

"You think you're all that? Well your not!" Succubus roared as he spewed energy dust out. The blast of light washed over the zord.

"The shielding is withstanding the attack" Charlie reported from her control point.

"Weapons to full power" Sean replied.

"Let's see" Warren said as he reviewed the instructions on the screen. "How about this…Turbo charged Power Punch!" he tapped the controls.

"Allow me" Morgan sighed as she took over at the console before her. The right arm her racer composed crackled with pink energy and the bumper snapped down over the fist. The glowing power fist slammed out and Succubus was sent flying.

"Let's finish this" Sean said. "Cycle Cutter!" the left arm made by the cycle let the wheel snap back into place over the fist and start to spin, yellow power built up in small particles. The Zord slashed down as Succubus tumbled towards earth. His body flashed and a yellow line crossed his body.

"Sayonara" Sean saluted.

Succubus flashed black, outlined with white – energy burst from his body and he shattered like class in a single explosion of flame that reflected off the shining zord.

"I think he's done" smiled Mason.

* * *

Warren pointed his morpher at the particles in the air, the badge glowed and sucked the remnants of Succubus in. There was a buzz and a disk popped out, on it Succubus beat at the surface, trying to escape.

The Commander advanced on the team who had demorphed and saluted. "Well done team" he smiled. "That's one virus out of our system…the scientists are all accounted for. The plan went off perfectly."

"Good job Warren" Morgan smiled.

"Yeah not bad" Charlie muttered.

"It was…satisfactory" Sean said. Warren patted him on the back.

"Y'see Sean? I'm actually quite responsible and mature deep down and all I need is for that to be recognized" Warren grinned.

"I suppose you are – mature and - reasonable" Sean said, apparently hating what he had to say. He walked back towards the SUV, totally oblivious to the sign reading "TIGHTLY WOUND TIGHT WAD" on the back of his suit

"S-" Mason found Warren's hand over his mouth.

"I'm mature and responsible…just not all the time" Warren chuckled. He looked at Mason. "let's see who tells him first - Huh?"

Mason blinked. "You're an unusual person"

"Yeah" smiled Warren.

"MILLLLLLLLEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR" Sean roared.

"I suspect you may also be an unusual person in traction within a few moments" Mason added.

"Yeah – gotta run" Warren raced off with Sean hot on his heels. They ran past the commander, Morgan and Charlie.

"You are dead Miller!" Sean snarled.

"Catch me if you can!" Warren cackled.

"I suppose a little maturity was out of the question?" Charlie sighed.

**_TBC_**

**Okay, thanks to all my reviewers if this makes it to chapter five (as of yet untitled but outlined) I'll make sure to address you properly but as this is a holiday post...well I'm still lazy from turkey and ham consumption. Thanks**

**I'd love to hear from anyone who's read this whatever you want to say: constructive criticism (flames are laughed at), favourite characters, questions, theories, quotes you liked, past rangers you expect to see or don't want to (of course there will be time travelling I'm afraid) and so on and so forth**

**Merry Xmas**


	4. Superstarstruck

CPU 4

Superstar Struck

The Purple and Lilac colored lights rose ever so slightly, the circular platform was surrounded by floating holographic screens and the glass dome roof showed a galaxy with a large red planet in the background… the robotic dancers were feminine, they stood in frozen poses in the darkness, their silver bodies were "dressed" in plates of thick burgundy vinyl.

The beats were lightening fast, sudden, and surprising, with each one the dancers moved into new vogue poses.

Purple sparks glittered in the centre of the dance stage and light strips glowed to life.

Andromeda Irons was a stunner, she had brown-blonde hair and glowing blue-green eyes, her lithe figure was accented by tasteful but tight outfits. She descended a floating staircase of glowing purple steps that appeared at her feet and vanished as she walked on them.

"_Hey everybody, give it up, let's have some fun" _she said into the microphone earpiece as her techno-pop music built up.

"_Wake up galaxy, it's so simple can't you see?_

_There's something wrong when we have no serenity_

_Where's the balance_

_We're lost in a spin_

_We fight and fight and no one can win_

_We're all losers if we fight each other_

_You're unique but equal to another_

_So give it up_

_Let it go_

_The time is now_

_To find a way_

_We all want to be free_

_Quit chaos and find Serenity_

_Bring on the war and we're all done_

_When it's all over, no one has won_

_Just stop the anger_

_Give up the rage_

_It's time to start a new page_

_So give it up_

_Let it go_

_The time is now_

_To find a way_

_We all want to be free_

_Quit chaos and find Serenity_

_It's so pointless can't you see_

_Are blind and deaf to everyone and me_

_Give it over and done with_

_Just end this galaxy_

_What comes of strife_

_I an absence of life"_

"She rocks" Warren said as he leaned back in the chair in the common room. Sean cleared his throat nervously.

"She…has interesting assets in her chest-VOICE" he corrected.

"You two are such pigs, I like her songs not her videos…she's a realy tough woman, y'know? The next Kira Ford they say, I mean she's done every kind of music genre around and she's not even a cyborg" Morgan said.

"She isn't?" Charlie mused. "Not even a little?"

"Nope, her body was bio scanned and they said she was 100 human" Warren smiled. "And what a human…wow…"

"No way you can get a human that perfect" muttered Charlie. "She's had work done"

"Put on **_Run Out_**" Morgan said as everyone ignored Charlie's comments. Mason walked into the room with a file in his hands. "Hi Mason" Morgan called. "Come join us!" she said.

"I cannot I am researching Gearbox's organization: VECTRESS…he's been using it as a company name for covering up criminal activities… it is most worrying that he has a syndicate at his disposal"

"We all know about Gearbox's syndicate" Warren sighed as he loaded a new option onto the screen in the Common Room that linked their sleeping quarters. "Is that what you were doing up last night? Reading about stuff we already know?"

"No I was simply reading. It is enjoyable, when I cannot sleep…I read" he frowned. "Though I find it difficult to comprehend the unusual subtexts of much English literature…I decided to teach myself Japanese…" he held the book up to them and walked away.

Everyone slowly turned away from the Boys' room and stared at the music video. "Flake" Warren muttered.

"He's a good detective" Morgan said defensively

"He's a flake but his parents must be proud" grinned Warren.

"Don't talk to me about parents" Morgan sighed. "Mine really hate the fact I'm walking down prison aisles rather than catwalks, instead of Baton Rouge I have a Riot Baton…"

"Your parents own that Space Technology company…right?"

"Yup, Mom and Daddy were on opposite ends of the globe, she's from Hawaii, he's from England…they met and presto there was a merger of companies and me and my sisters were born"

"Hah – siblings…there's a tough topic" Warren said. "I have four brothers and a sister…all of them are detectives and superintendents on the force. Talk about pressure, Mom and Dad are the same, high ups, lots of pressure!"

"I am an only child, but I can understand the pressure, my parents have always wanted me to be on the force" Sean said. "I have wanted the same of course, they helped the interest along"

"An only child, that explains it" Charlie muttered. "I have 15 foster siblings" she added. "My Foster Mother took us all in off the streets…" she frowned. "Since we're being honest…my parents couldn't look after me so Foster Mother took me in and here I am" she spread her arms.

"I was wondering when we'd get around to the family thing" Warren mused. "What about Mason?"

"You're his roommate you should know" sighed Charlie

"Well I don't he's never forthcoming with information I actually **_want_** to here" Warren snorted.

Mason walked out of the room. "My laser welder has broken. I have to replace it, I will not be gone long"

Warren and Charlie leapt up. "I'll come too" they chorused.

"Why? There's no need -"

"We're teammates we should talk" Charlie exclaimed.

"I'm a guy you can tell me who you're crushing on!" Warren exclaimed. The idea of pranking the blue ranger about that information was particularly exciting.

"I am not crushing anyone– unless they are very small and I cannot-"

"Are you deliberately this annoyingly literal?" groaned Warren

-------------------BREAK

Zorion looked at the Virus. It was grey and black with a large speaker mesh patch in its stomach surrounded by teeth, two huge speakers were mounted on it's shoulders and the back of it's lobe-head was a microphone. It's massive upper body seemed too heavy for it's human sized limbs. The speakers in its eyes and mouth hummed as it spoke.

"So when do I make my move?"

"When I say so Amp-Vamp" growled Zorion

His internal scanners allowed a digital time to roll up. He looked at the virus. This plan was flawless.

----------------------BREAK

Mason was dressed in a blue shirt and navy trousers – his Stepford-Son hair and the tie on his outfit made him look particularly unreal.

Charlie and Warren could feel the people staring at Mason all thinking: "He's a very young 40-something accountant". Charlie was dressed in a green linen top with long flared sleeves, black jeans and black and green biker boots. She'd left her leather jacket behind as it was a warm spring day.

Warren wore a bright red long sleeve shirt under a dark crimson short sleeve. His jeans had a red strip up the left leg and his runners matched.

They were co-ordinated

Stylish.

Mason was like something from a 20s sitcom.

They walked along the street towards the shopping district. "You need better clothes" Charlie said at last.

"Do I? Father bought them for me when he went to town"

"You need to talk to him about that" Warren sighed.

"I can't…I haven't seen him in 2 years"

Charlie blinked in surprise. "Sorry – did you fight?"

"No – he did disapprove of my wish to come to the city but when I didn't hear from him I came here looking"

Before he could ask for more details, Warren spun around at the sound of screaming tires. A limo sped down the road followed closely by three floating bullet shaped crafts – filled with Mechon Troopers.

"That's interesting" murmured Charlie.

"Time to get into the business duds" sighed Warren as he took out his morpher and hit a button on it. There was a flash and he was in his uniform. "Ready?"

"Willing and Able" Charlie smiled as she and Mason shifted into their black uniforms.

CYBER SYSTEMS! ONLINE!

The rangers moved in blurs of speed. "Cybernetic Rapidity Enhancements Online" Warren exclaimed as they closed in on the limo. Charlie leapt and in a blur of colour she landed on one of the crafts.

The green holograms leapt from her body and the Mechons were lost in confusion… Charlie kicked the driver out, blasted the controls and flipped out of the cockpit as the craft crashed into a notice board and stuck fast.

Mason teleported onto the craft and punched one Mechon out before bashing two together and throwing them onto the road below. The driver spun to fire it's blaster blade but Mason kicked the weapon aside and punched the Mechon out of the craft. He landed the machine and jumped out.

Warren leapt upwards, a red glow ran over his body and he slammed through the bottom of the ship, ripping out circuits he forced it into a spin. "Happy Landings" he grinned as the ship slammed into a pond and blew up.

The sense of victory was violently disrupted by the shrieking energy wave that hit the limo and blew it into the air, it rolled to a halt, metal twisted and shredded, fires around it.

A man in a suit scrambled from the limo and rushed to safety followed by the driver. "Dr Fairchild, Commander? We have a problem!" Charlie exclaimed to her morpher.

"Yes we see" Farichild said. "You can use your special devices to locate whatever blasted that limo, the others are on their way! Warren's Radar should be ideal!"

Warren nodded as the red imagine networks burst out around him, on his helmet screen a red radar skimmed around and located coloured dots that labeled themselves as civilians, Blue Ranger and Green Ranger…then he noticed two flashing black spots… marked Viral Cyber Life form and Unidentified Cyber entitiy.

"There" he said, pointing to an alleyway.

He dashed forwards as Zorion and Amp-Vamp came from the gap between buildings. "Amp-Vamp, show the red ranger that it's rude to point" Zorion sighed.

The Virus cackled and unleashed a blast of energy rings.

Charlie rushed to help Warren while Mason initiated his own scanner. The blue filter appeared on the world and various things flashed, information typing out in the flag labels…then he caught on scanned item. "Unconscious Casualty" another label caught his eye. "Electrotone Petrol".

The limo was about to blow.

Rushing towards the casualty Mason read details. Weight, guessed age, body type… he leapt the overturned car and wrenched the doors off with his cyborg strength.

Reaching inside he carefully pulled the shape out, the dark purple wrap shrouded the young woman completely but the scanner revealed she was in no medical jeopardy.

Charlie pivoted and swung her blades, slashing the monster repeatedly. Amp-Vamp fired a sonic blast at her but she flipped aside and created a duplicate. Amp-Vamp slashed the duplicate and took a heavy series of slashes to the torso.

"You're not that great" Charlie grinned as she danced around the cumbersome punches.

"I can't hear you!" snarled Amp-Vamp as he unleashed a wave of feedback that caught Charlie off guard and let him blast her.

Zorion slashed at Warren who used his Force Axe to deflect the blade. "Who are you?"

"I am Zorion…and I will destroy you completely" the cyborg replied. He spun and kicked, sending Warren flying aside. Zorion slashed the air and a blast narrowly missed Warren who rolled aside.

A yellow and a pink blast of light hit Zorion in the chest. Morgan and Sean stood at the other side of the road, blasters drawn. "CPU you're under arrest" Sean exclaimed, holding out his badge with his free hand. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be recorded on data file and stored for your digital court date- you have the right to an attorney and a cybernetic interperater or mechanic if you wave this right -"

The power blast from Zorion's visor blew them apart. "I don't have time for this – Amp Vamp we're gone" Zorion vanished in a flare of amber light while Amp Vamp turned into a rippling wave of light.

"Where's Little boy blue?" mused Warren.

"Being a hero" Morgan exclaimed as she rushed towards Mason who was carrying a prone figure in his arms. "Is she okay?"

"Yes, merely unconscious" Mason said.

Warren blinked as he pushed the hood of the girls outfit away. "Hey! It's her! It's her"

"Andromeda Irons!" gasped Morgan

The singer simply groaned and shifted in Mason's arms

------------------------BREAK

The Rangers were assaulted as they entered the hospital waiting room. Though it was in an entirely new manner -

"Locturn, Aesa Locturn" the blue skinned alien exclaimed as he rigorously shook each ranger by the hand with his eight fingered limbs. "Boy oh Boy I can't thank you enough for saving Andy, she was in serious trouble"

"No kidding" snorted Charlie.

The 8 foot tall alien paced back and forth. "I told her this was serious, she just said nothing would stop her performing!"

Mason cocked his head to one side. "Were threats made?"

"Yes – oh yeah they were, lots of em… here I have some of the digital messages" he tapped on the PDA in his hand and the file opened. A cube appeared over the screen each face demonstrating a new threat.

"If You Perform You Will die" Morgan read. "The Concert will be your funeral… One note and you're vapor…If the concert goes ahead you'll be playing your own funeral march". She frowned and held up her morpher, the scanner copied the files. "I'll go over these… they seem to be standard intimidation but by someone who's trying to be witty – doubtful they've had much in the line of education but they do seem intelligent"

Aesa groaned. "I told her to call you guys, I said: "Andy, you need CPU" but that girl! Max'shior Niffi Fidyal is she pig headed, she said she could look after herself!" he shook his head. "I wish I was back on Rigor-446 right now, that girl will be the death of me!"

Warren looked at the tall alien agent. "So why were they threatening her?"

"Some human extremist groups got all bent out of joint because she's been campaigning for Cyborg Rights. They got really angry when she wrote that song "Deep Down" and then when she announced that this concert was going to fund Cyborg-Human alliances and equality foundations – well the Spigoqa really hit the Knaglog"

The doors hissed open across the room and a jaded looking doctor walked in. "Uh – you must be waiting for Ms Irons…yeah well she's awake" he yawned.

"Oh thank Glubjub" Aesa gasped. He ducked out of the doorway and headed down the hall.

"So is Gearbox the villain?"

"Hm…" Morgan mused as she tapped her cyber pen on the morpher panel and reviewed the messages. "Well the writer does fit some of the profiles, but one or two look like they're from a genuine idiot" she said. "They're linear, meant to be menacing but failing miserably in comparison to the others – in fact there are some downright stupid ones… looks like Gearbox has a helper or a competitor for scaring the starlet."

"Someone should question her" Sean said.

"I will!" Warren exclaimed.

"No I think Mason and Sean should do it" Charlie said. "Asking an autograph in the middle of an investigation is just plain rude".

Morgan and Warren made no attempt to hide their disappointment.

---------------------------BREAK

Andromeda lay in the hospital bed, reading a magazine with all the interest of a shark towards lettuce. "Ms Irons?" quick as a whip she looked at the door. Mason and Sean stood respectfully in the doorway.

"Yes – come in…" she smiled, pushing her blonde-brown hair off her face. She noticed Mason and gave an even bigger smile. "You're the one that saved me – the Blue ranger" she stared at his perfectly shaped hair. "I can't thank you enough"

"It was my duty Ms Irons" Mason said.

"If we may ask some questions Ms Irons"

"Andromeda…Andy, please" she smiled.

"Very well - Andy" Sean choked out, evidently unable to totally get it right in his mind to refer to someone on friendly terms. "We have been informed by your manager that threats were made against your life"

"Oh - those" snorted Andy. She waved them off and leaned back. "There were a few, yes – but they were insignificant"

"Still, we would like any information you can give us considering the attempt made on your life today" Sean said as he raised his morpher. As words were spoken they were taken down on the screen by the morpher.

"Well…let me see…they were always delivered to my home e-mail and there were a few minor accidents in the concert hall" Andromeda admitted. "But I wasn't hurt…"

"Accidents?" Mason repeated.

"A light kit fell, some wires went haywire, one of my assitstant robots malfunctioned and went a little crazy…stuff like that" Andromeda waved the incidents' off with a shrug. "I usually get proposals and poetry, but this was new – there's always one I guess" she shrugged.

Sean shook his head, his stony disposition didn't shift at all. "Ms Irons – these were far too convenient to be coincidences you must call off your concert". Andromeda sat straight up and glared at him with such passion it made Sean flinch. She looked at Mason.

"If people were depending on you to save them from a monster would you cancel if it got a little dangerous?" she snapped.

"No" Mason said. "I do not agree that you should cancel"

"She could be killed Detective Carver" growled Sean.

"But hundreds of thousands of people are waiting for her" Mason said. "She is doing important work for Cyborg-Human relations!"

An argument was about to burst out when Charlie entered the room. "Okay boys we have to go, the Commander wants to see us and Aesa Locturn has some business to discuss with Andromeda Irons"

Andromeda nodded, she looked at Mason and Sean, watching them leave – Aesa entered sheepishly. "Uh – Andy – baby – honey – sweetie pie – I was just talking to the commander…"

"I amn't cancelling" she said determinatedly

"Yeah – that's not what he suggested"

------------------------BREAK

The Commander paced across the floor of the Command Centre on the EDEN. "I am about to send you on a mission that will require the utmost calm, subtlty and professionalism" he said.

"We can handle it sir" Warren said.

The Commander held up the long thin purple and black pieces of metal and plastic.

"TICKETS TO THE CONCERT! WE'RE GOING TO THE CONCERT!" Warren roared.

Charlie looked at Morgan. "I think he'd better give them to Sean" she whispered.

-----------------------------BREAK

Vectress sat on her throne, tapping her cheek with the fingers of the hand her chin rested on. "I'm waiting Zorion" she growled.

"My lady, Amp-Vamp is going to make it up to you at the concert" Zorion exclaimed. "He is apologetic -"

The green light weaved from Vectress' head to form a halo around the craniums of Amp-Vamp and Zorion, she rose, not breaking her psycho-technical display. "I don't care for making up for botched attacks, things did not go to plan!" She sighed. "You are lucky that your allies can twist things to their advantage. Now perhaps we can move past the infantile plans of you lesser schemers to the level of the better generals – no more mindless damage Zorion, no more pathetic threats from Jackslot and certainly no more wasting of my resources on concert ticket sales form Gearbox!" she released the pair from her mental-technological manipulations.

"My lady – I have news of the concert" Gearbox said.

"I don't care!"

"Aesa has reported that the Commander of CPU has insisted on the Rangers being permitted entrance" he growled. "With All access passes!"

"I see…I want you idiots to get to work – the primary objective is operation Music Maker – the rangers may be immune to the S1R3N virus – make sure to occupy them"

"I can do that" Amp Vamp croaked.

"You'd better" snapped Vectress. "Jackslot!" the cumbersome copper plated robot scampered forth. "You will lead the attack on the concert while Gearbox oversees the jamming broadcast tower."

"Yes Empress" exclaimed the robot with a small salute.

"Consider it a chance at redemption, after your tactless threats as well as your ridiculous attempts on Andromeda's life!" her eyes flashed green and she strode out of the room, leaving her subordinates to cower.

-----------------BREAK

Sean looked up from the book as Morgan and Charlie entered, carrying bags and dragging a confused Mason with them. "We have your measurements from Dr. Fairchild and credit cards that needed a work out – you are putting the clothes on!" Morgan sighed

"But why?" exclaimed Mason

"Because your only clothing makes you look like an accountant!" exclaimed Charlie.

Warren came out of the boys' room

"What are you doing to flakey?" he asked.

Morgan held up the bags. "We went shopping for him – time to dress him!" she crowed gleefully.

Warren and Sean exchanged a glance. "I think I should take those from you" he said carefully. "Because I doubt Mason would want to be stared at in his underwear…"

"Why would anyone stare at me in my underwear?" Mason murmured – but he was ignored by an arguing set of teammates.

Warren took the bags and Mason into the roomas Morgan and Charlie ran through scenarios of how Warren could get it wrong.

"I mean – what if he forgets how to wear jeans!" Morgan exclaimed. She stopped, as Mason staggered out of the room from a push by Warren. His hair was still neatly combed but he was dressed in a pair of artfully torn blue jeans and a blue sweater that was zipped up to his neck. His dark blue converse sneakers were held in his hands and his bare feet seemed uncomfortable, wriggling their toes on the cold grey floor.

"Damn we forgot socks" cursed Charlie.

"He looks all right" Warren said. "But I have to say – forgetting socks? Key to an outfit…I've hidden all his ties too"

"I don't understand why you did that" added Mason.

"For your own good" Morgan smiled.

Sean looked at his watch. "We should prepare for the concert – is there any dress code?"

"Yeah – the Neo-vinyl look is in" Morgan giggled, bouncing on the spot.

"Let's not give her sugar" Charlie sighed as her roommate frolicked towards their dorm.

-------------------------BREAK

Sean tugged at the neon yellow vinyl shirt he wore, his fingerless gloves, boots and the bands on his black trousers were all the same brilliant neon yellow. "This is most impractical" he said as he followed the others towards the garage.

"I happen to like this look, it's rather comfy" smiled Morgan who was dressed in a neon pink belly-top with see through sleeves and a pink vinyl miniskirt over black pants and cherry blossom colored go-go boots.

The Commander and Dr Fairchild suppressed sniggers as the team walked in. "Very fashionable" Dr. Fairchild snorted.

"It's in at the moment" muttered Warren who was dressed all in black save his red neon vinyl jacket and hiking boots.

"You have to fit in" nodded Benson. "Aesa Locturn has insisted you keep a low profile so as not to disrupt the concert for others, you'll arrive an hour early in secret and check the area for bombs and such"

Charlie was still adjusting the newly-mussed hair of Mason. Charlie wore a neon green bustier, black viny duster, and trousers that were half black and half neon green over a pair of heavy black boots with glowing green laces.

Mason shifted awkwardly, he looked out of places in the black vinyl trousers and neon blue shirt.

"You can keep in contact without fear of being eavesdropped on by using your optical arrays…" Dr Fairchild said. "Given that they'll match your outfits you needn't fear clashing"

"Very funny" Sean growled.

------------------------BREAK

Sean and Mason stood in the control room. Aesa was coordinating the last practice. "What are they?" Sean asked a she pointed to the cases being carried onto the stage.

"Andromeda's Song-5TR355 robots, her backing dancers and singers, never whine about sore feet and are always on time" Aesa said. "Okay so I have to go and do some stuff, everything's in order if you feel you have to act be careful, okay? We're golden"

Mason watched Aesa leave. "Does he really have this much control or is he merely emulating the exterior actions required to exude an aura of confidence, which would imply he's terrified"

Sean looked at mason. "Do you ever ask a straight question?"

"Didn't you understand that?"

Sean's face turned red. "Yes of course but others don't"

"Oh…" Mason turned back to face the room. "My appologies"

----------------BREAK

Charlie moved between the aisles. She paused, Aesa had just passed by her line of vision…crouched…frowning Charlie followed him. The nervous alien moved swiftly down a hall and descended some steps – she froze as she heard the voices.

"It's – that wasn't part of the deal"

"Tough luck"

"But -"

"Quiet" a grunting voice snapped. "Amp Vamp is getting set up, we'll finish what we started – the pieces are all in place"

"The rangers-"

There was a flash of amber light and Aesa collapsed

"Shut up you insipid toad from Rigor-446" Gearbox muttered. "Jackslot – make sure the frequencies are adjusted, this Pro-Unity crap will be ideal for the subliminal messaging"

Charlie unleashed a hologram from her body and became a locker as Gearbox walked past, his body turning into a human's.

Charlie shuddered and slipped into a store room. She turned on her scanner array.

"The concert goers have arrived" Warren reported.

"You're kidding!" gasped Charlie. "Listen! We have a problem! Aesa is in with Gearbox and a supped up slot machine! They mentioned subliminal messaging-"

The flash of purple light knocked Charlie out and the door behind her shut with a cold click as the lock slid into place.

--------------BREAK

"No sign of Mechons in the crowd" Sean said as he scanned with his Optic array.

"We've got a problem!" Warren exclaimed as he ran along the lower level of the cylindrical concert hall that had large floating screens moving around on it.

The stage was an island of its own, floating podiums took off into the air for dancers in go-go cages.

"The concerts about to start!" Morgan said.

"Charlie says Gearbox is here! We have to check on Andromeda – maybe ask her about her manager!" Warren shouted as he rushed down a flight of stairs.

Warren knocked on the door of the changing room.

"Come in!" Andromeda called.

Warren opened the door – Andromeda was wearing a black silk robe. "Hello Detective – what's wrong?"

Warren looked around. The two femmebots were cleaning up a make up kit. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, why?" Andromeda asked.

"Aesa may be in league with Gearbox"

"WHAT!" Andromeda exclaimed. She seemed entirely stunned. "What – what do you mean?"

Warren shook his head. "Something about subliminal messaging…"

Andromeda hurried over to her changing table and grabbed a plastic card. "Take this, it's the pass to the control room, Subliminal messaging could be on my backing track!"

Warren nodded his head in thanks and left the room in a rush. He sprinted down the hall and up the steps. The fans were screaming and cheering as the backing track started.

"Meet me at the control room!" Warren exclaimed into his optic array microphone.

"On it" chorused Morgan, Sean and Mason.

"Where is Charlie?" asked Mason abruptly.

"I'll find her" Morgan said. She touched her OA and let the pink radar find the green light. Morgan moved swiftly, racing towards the door, pulling her blaster from her hip holster.

Morgan aimed at the door and blasted it open. Charlie shoved her way out. "That was reinforced on the inside" Charlie said. "I think I was set up…"

"Clever Green Girl" Jackslot said as he appeared behind them. "Let's see what prize you win!" The wheels on his chest whirred and selected a pale blue snow flake in a circle. The blast of ice narrowly missed Morgan and Charlie.

"Time to drop the party clothes" Charlie sighed.

"I can live with that" smiled Morgan as they stood up and pulled out their morphers.

"CYBER SYSTEMS ONLINE"

Jackslot fell backwards as he was blasted in the chest by the energy waves from the blasters. He swung his arm at Morgan and knocked her back, then he kicked Charlie over, moving with surprising speed he hurled the girls aside. "You might want to reconsider your wardrobe!"

Charlie landed a kick across the back of his head and staggered him.

Morgan flipped forwards and hit him in the chest with both feet. The girls leapt. "No I think they go just fine" Morgan said as she slashed down with her sword. Charlie spun and added to the attack with her blades.

Jackslot cried out. Both his arms gained spiked balls and he rushed the girls.

----------------------BREAK

The door hissed open. Mason paused as Sean and Warren drew their blasters. "Something is wrong…" he said. "A trap?"

"Maybe" Sean said as he stepped into the room. "But we have to hurry" the blast of sound knocked him down. Amp Vamp cackled and charged.

The energy feedback shield deflected Sean's blaster fire he swung an arm into Warren's stomach, grabbed Mason and unleashed a potent energy ring into the boys chest, throwing him into a wall.

"You're the computer expert Mason" Warren shouted. "Get to the console!" The detective then hurled himself at Amp Vamp

Mason nodded and dived over a console as a sonic burst hit the table behind him. Warren formed his metal skin and beat down the monster with all his might. Mason connected to the system and began to scan through the data.

"Hold it boy blue!" the virus snarled

Amp Vamp fired a blast at Mason. Sean leapt in for it, his yellow aura sprang up and he caught it with his glowing hands, then he hurled it back in the form of a saffron sunburst.

Mason frowned. "This makes no sense…the backing track contains no subliminal signals!"

"Then how will they manage to brainwash the-"

Mason disappeared before Sean could finish his question. The blue sparkles faded in the air as Mason reappeared in the hall outside Andromeda's room.

-------------------BREAK

Jackslot blocked the kick from Charlie but Morgan landed a punch on his chest as she reappeared from her stealth mode. "You're starting to annoy me" Jackslot snapped. "I'm going to destroy you"

"No you're not" the girls chorused as they fired their blasters. Jackslot yowled and fell backwards. "I'll be back!" he snapped, there was a flash as his body turned into bouncing nuts and bolts and vanished.

"Morgan! Charlie!" Mason called over the communicator. "The subliminal messages, they're coming from another source"

"Like what?" Charlie asked as her helmet retracted

"I'm about to ask Andromeda"

"She's on in 2 minutes, make it quick!" Morgan sighed.

--------------------BREAK

Andromeda turned around as the door opened. "Detective! Is everything okay?"

Mason shut the door and blinked. "The backing track was a dud – there are no subliminal messages imprinted in it, therefore the source must be something else" he looked at Andromeda. "Amp Vamp was waiting for my friends and I…was it a trap?"

Andromeda rose and turned to face him, her face was cold and emotionless. "What are you suggesting?"

"That you have been brainwashed or forced into assisting Gearbox and his organization Vectress into brainwashing your fans"

Andromeda cocked her head to one side. "Is that what you think?"

"Doubtful, I feel you're too strong to be forced into anything – you willingly participated in Gearbox's plan"

"Almost true" nodded Andromeda. She moved with incredible speed, she grabbed Mason by the throat and hurled him across the room into a wall. "But it's my plan, not Gearbox's"

Mason leapt to his feet and charged her, she blasted him with a burst of purple electricity that came from a snap of her fingers. "It's a solid plan – Gearbox is a pawn in the big plan…we serve a greater plan"

The doors clicked shut and Mason fell unconscious.

"I have a show to perform" Andromeda smirked. In a burst of purple she was gone…

-------------------BREAK

"Where's Mason?" exclaimed Charlie

"I haven't a clue" Morgan said as they searched for their friend. There was an explosion and Amp Vamp staggered into view at the end of the hall. "But that's way too ugly to be him"

They moved with cyborg speed at the monster and slashed Amp Vamp as Sean and Warren came to their aid. Amp Vamp fell against a wall. "Hey come on!" he grumbled. "I'm just trying to make a living"

"Get a new career" Morgan snorted. The trio raised their Binary Blasters. The energy charged up and Amp Vamp tried to run…the wave of power hit him and in a flash all that remained were black and white spots floating in the air, encircled by swirling green light.

"Nicely done gang" Warren grinned. "Where's Mason?"

"He went to see Andromeda" Charlie replied. "He said something about the music not being laced with the messages". Her helmet retratcted. "Is it possible Andromeda is doing it herself?"

-----------------BREAK

Mason opened his eyes, he teleported into the hallway and headed straight up the stairs. He spoke into his optical array. "I'm on staircase 14…we must stop the show, Andromeda seems to be a cyborg!"

"Impossible, she's been scanned for cybernetics" Warren dismissed. "Several times"

"A robotic duplicate?" ventured Sean.

The music started playing…the screens flashed images of Andromeda…then Gearbox…Zorion…Jackslot…the rangers…Mechons… Andromeda…Zorion…Mechons…Gearbox…Jackslot… No there were no hidden commands there…

Mason looked at the flickering platform. The Song-5TR355 robots were voguing as they teleported in. The colourful lights beat across the floating stage – in the centre a platform rose and Andromeda appeared, she was dressed in a sleek black body suit covered with streamlined purple armour. A thin visor crossed her eyes and she had her hair held up with a complex network of pins.

"Hey boys and girls" she said into the microphone down by her mouth from the ear of her headset. "Are you ready for Andromeda Irons? Give it up!"

_I hear you calling out_

_Cross the Galaxy_

_I got your message_

_Loud and Clear_

_So hang on now that I'm so near_

_Things gone crazy all around_

_There's gotta be an answer to be found_

_The furture's bleak – let's make it bright_

_Listen up you know that I'm ri-i-i-ight_

It was her voice. "It's her voice! Somehow her voice is emitting sonic signals of subliminal messages!" Mason exclaimed.

"That's impossible" Sean said.

"And yet blue boy's right, she's broadcastingt he signals, our scanner earpieces are filtering them!" Morgan said. "Let's go!"

_This one's for all you Tron's out there_

_This goes out to you Tron's everywhere_

_It's time to power up and be amalgamated_

_These organic flaws must be eradicated_

_Once and for all_

_The humans fall_

_Just join me and be freeeeeeeeeee_

Mason launched himself onto her platform. "Cyber Systems! Online!" he exclaimed, morphing as he landed. "This ends Andromeda" he said.

Andromeda's platform crackled with electricity and she rose into the air. "You're a cyborg blue ranger, can't you see that you'll never be free unless the humans are stopped?"

"War does not bring peace!" exclaimed Mason. Andromeda held up the microphone rod she held and shook her head. "You're under arrest Andromeda Irons for anti-human actions, attempted brainwashing, aiding and abetting wanted felons-"

Andromeda gave an elegant, musical laugh. "You want in on this number?" she smiled. "Then better dance to the beat!"

Her platform shot into the air as she continued to sing. Blasts of lightening shot down in all directions. Mason rolled forwards to avoid the first rainstorm of them, then he flipped backwards to avoid the next and powered up his Cyber Staff.

The Songstress Drones attacked, their pirouette kicks, elegant punches, cartwheels and chops were perfect dances. Mason blocked them and swung his staff.

The Songstress' flew backwards and crashed into the go-go cages floating between the hover-vid-screens and floating dance stage – Sean fired his blaster from a balcony and took out two drones in one shot. Mason looked up to see the other rangers leaping down to his aid.

"Thought you might need some help" Charlie said.

"Man, are all the pretty one's cyborgs?" Warren groaned.

The Songstress' in the gogo cages appeared on the dance stage, the floor panels flickered and randomly spat out light energy bursts.

"We need to get up to Andromeda!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Can you teleport to her Mason?" Sean suggested

"Her body is generating electrostatic interference – I cannot stabilized my tele-targetting on her" Mason replied as he swung a Songstress into another and let them dismantle into nuts and bolts.

Charlie spun and kicked one off the stage. She narrowly avoided the energy pulse that detonated in the air beside her. "Ah! Okay what do we do then?"

"I have an idea!" Mason said – he leapt off the stage onto the nearest vid screen and pulled a lever on the side, it shot upwards, he kicked off it and grabbed the railing of Andromeda's platform.

"This is my solo Blue Ranger…BACK OFF" Andromeda punched at him, he twisted aside and swung his body around the platform and into her body, She cried out as she was knocked off.

Andromeda spun in the air and landed on her feet. "Fine, we'll do this your way" she muttered. "All eyes on me, this is a really good dance number"

She swiped the tip of her rod microphone through the air, the sonic waves blasted the rangers back. Morgan vanished.

"I'll find you pink ranger" warned Andromeda. Her scanners bleeped – the pink fist collided with her face at that very second.

Andromeda staggered back and blinked in surprise. She retracted her visor and unleashed a wave of lightening at the Rangers. Sean deflected it into a wall and attacked.

Andromeda moved like a samurai and swung her microphone, the blade slid out of the cane like sheathing. She slashed Morgan and Sean away and blocked Charlie's stabs. "I'm going to give you all a soulful FINAL BOW"

"Please do you suck at singing" Charlie grunted, she pulled back and let Morgan and Warren swing their staff and axe respectively. Andromeda blocked and sent a wave of power into the boys, they collapsed.

"You can't take me" Andromeda smirked as her body crackled thin forks of lightening. "I'm too strong!"

"Perhaps" mused mason as he spun his staff swiftly into a blitzkrieg of movement. "Perhaps…NOT" he landed a strike to her stomach and she fell backwards, rolling to her feet she attacked with a ballet spin. Mason blocked and knocked her back. The Rangers attacked together.

Andromeda screamed in rage as she was hit with the attacks.

"Put the weapons together!" declared Warren. They aimed their joint weapon…when there was applause.

"Lady and gentlemen…my special guests for the night…The CPU RANGERS!" Andromeda exclaimed. She winked at the confused quintet. "I'll deal with you all later" she threatened. In a burst of purple lightening and sparks she was gone.

"We missed her!" exclaimed Sean.

"Maybe – but the people here seem to be unaffected by her subliminal messages, the full message was not received" Mason summed up. He touched his neck and retracted his helmet.

---------------BREAK

The technopathic-telepathic waves hit Gearbox, Jackslot and Zorion in the head. "I am MOST displeased, you three did not help Andromeda to succeed as I told you to…" she walked across the room. "Consider your failure and punishment while I see to that failure Amp Vamp - Viral Reboot Signal - Engaged"

-------------------BREAK

"Rangers?" Commander Benson's voice came over the communicators, faint and distant.

"Yes commander?" Sean asked.

"We've been trying to reach you for over an hour…" the commander exclaimed. "Someone was jamming our signals"

"We'll explain later" Morgan muttered.

There was the sound of a siren in the background. "Monster attack!" Dr Fairchild cut in. "That oversized loudspeaker's just popped up like a daisy" she said. "Zords on the way" she added.

--------------------BREAK

The CPU megazord punched the monster in the face as it took a swipe at a building. "YOU AGAIN!" Amp Vamp snarled.

"Yup, us again" Warren smiled. "Now – what's on the menu today?"

"YOU'RE DESTRUCTION" bellowed Amp Vamp. "FOR VECTRESS!" the monster rushed forwards wielding two enormous microphones

"Yeah whatever" Charlie sighed. The Zord's hands grasped the clubs and a kick knocked it backwards. Amp Vamp yowled.

"Jet Strike Mode - activated" Mason said.

"I like the sound of that" Warren smiled. The thrusters on the Zord's back glowed and unleashed a spurt of blue fire. There was a flash and it sped forwards down a blue vortex.

Amp Vamp was struck buy the blue comet, the glowing blue streak sped at him from all sides over and over again…then it swooped and scooped up the monster. It sped into the air…and threw Amp Vamp down.

The Zords slammed through Amp Vamp in the form of an avalanche of blue electricity. Amp Vamp hung in the air for a moment…seconds later he exploded into a cloud of black and white dots.

"This tune is getting old!" Warren declared.

"Lame" snorted Charlie.

-------------------------------BREAK

"Andromeda Irons' concert was a success" Dr Fairchild said. "Charitable donations were made and brainwashing was at an all time low of 0"

"When can we arrest her?" Charlie said as they sat in the briefing room. The Commander shook his head.

"We can't there's no proof to convict her with – everyone thinks it was part of the show" Benson explained. He sighed. "The Directorate will not sanction a warrant until we can prove that the totally human Andromeda Irons is in league with Vectress – not only that but we need to prove she's got cybernetics that allow her to use thos powers"

Sean growled. "So she gets out of it!"

There was silence in the room, a grim realization that they'd been outsmarted in the end.

------------------------------BREAK

The generals writhed on the ground in pain as the psycho-techno-kinetic waves pulsated through their circuits and brains. "I am quite displeased" Vectress said. "We could have had humans turning on humans, cyborgs and robots dedicating themselves to us and a platinum record on the wall in the Den…instead we have nothing" the pain increased. "I am…miffed"

The doors across the room hissed open and Andromeda entered in her purple costume. "My lady" she said, advancing like a model on a catwalk. "I apologize for my failure – I had expected more back up though."

"Yes…well…perhaps you will succeed next time" Vectress mused. The energy wave hit Andromeda in the mind. "Still – better to learn now"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Review please – if you want to see anything in particular don't hesitate to ask, mainly I want theories and help in making this better, this chapter dragged on and I apologize for it. I'm still working on getting the personalities out, I'd like to hear about any favourite lines, characters or moments you saw.

It'd cheer me up.

Reviews help me fix problems, flames just bore me.


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